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BRAZIL 

CHILE 

COLOMBIA 

Costa RIca 

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102° Longitude 





LIBRARY OF LATIN-AMERICAN INFORMATION 


THE 
REPUBLIC OF MEXICO 


ITS AGRICULTURE, COMMERCE & INDUSTRIES 


A Handbook of Information 


based upon exhaustive research work 
carried on in the different sections 
of Mexico by a staff of experts 


COMPILED and EDITED 
By 


HERMANN SCHNITZLER 
Pu. U., Lact: D. 


With Map of Mexico in Colors 


NICHOLAS L. BROWN 
NEW YORK 1924 






Copyright, 1924 Peal 

ie OY re Ce ee, 

NICHOLAS L. BROWN 
All Rights Reserved 


Printed in U, S.A. a : 


4 


re 
Be sie) LTR 
inst 


me 


CHAPTER 
GENERAL SURVEY. 


i, 


i, 


Ill. 


IV. 


TABLE OF CONTENTS 


PAGE 


Outline of general economic conditions.— 
Geographical situation.—Inhabitants.—Mex- 
ican Constitution and Administration.— 
Labor and Wages.—The National Language 


AGRICULTURE. 


Crops.—Average yearly production.—T rans- 
portation facilities for crops.—Horticulture 
and Orchards.—Profitable investment chances 
in agricultural enterprises—Lands.—Acquir- 
ing lands by purchase or lease.—Federal 
lands.—Irrigation—Drainage ............ 


ForEsTs. 


‘Timber. — Precious woods.-— Firewoods. — 
Average yearly production.—T ransportation 
facilities—Possible larger exploitation...... 


LivE-STock RAISING. 


Kinds of stock raised.—Stock farms.—Dairy. 
— Pasturages. — Poultry-rearing. — Bee- 
rearing.—Investment chances in the live-stock 
RP ANCUSTE aca kt eas ales veece Dicks 


CoMMERCE. 


Export trade——Import trade——Banking.— 
BUSINESS OPPOTLUGITIES VE ae sate Fo cs: 


&) 


56 


173 


209 


6 


CHAPTER 


Vs 


MARE 


VIII. 


aL, 


The Republic of Mexico 


MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES. 


Existing industries—Motive power.—Num- 
ber of workers.—Investment possibilities in 
new industries—Raw materials........... 


MINING INDUSTRIES. 


Metals.—Quarries.—Placer mines.——Oil.— 
Precious stones.—Other minerals—Chances 
for investment in the mining industries..... 


CLIMATE, Mountains, Rivers, LAKEs, La- 
GOONS, ARCHAEOLOGICAL RUINS, SIGHTS. 


‘Temperature. — Rainfall.— Sierras. — Moun- 
tain peaks——Waterfalls already available or 
easily constructed for the generation of elec- 


PAGE 


301 


344 


triC “DOWEL x :.es nie «cee os Ce ee eae +373 


Ports AND ISLANDS. 


Navigation companies.—Itinerary of Steam- 
ship Lines.—Guano deposits.............: 


FLorA AND FAUNA, HUNTING AND FISHING. 


Medicinal plants.—Industrial plants.—Fod- 
der plants—Edible plants.—Ornamental 
plants—Fur animals.—Birds.—Fishery.— 
Pearl fishing... 2. 04. © eee mes 


Raitways, Roaps, MaiL, ‘TELEGRAPH AND 
‘TELEPHONE SYSTEM. 


Railroad lines in operation.—Railroad lines 
under construction.—Automobile roads.— 
Chances for investment in the construction of 
railroads or highways.—Cable  service.— 
Wireless stations: .).:: chee 


443 


The Republic of Mexico # 


CHAPTER PAGE 
XII. Cuitites anp Towns. 
Inhabitants—Views.—Commercial features. 545 


APPENDIX I. An alphabetical list of the archaeolog- 
ical ruins existing in Mexican terri- 
tory, their name, location, features, 
and ethnological significance....... 579 


AprENpDIXx II. An alphabetical nomenclature, both 
common and scientific, of plants, 
fruits, and trees of commercial or in- 
dustrial use, belonging to the Mex- 
CSU GRU) ee oe) om i ke eae 597 


ALPHABETICAL INDEX OF ALL ITEMS MENTIONED IN 
SNE) OE Eas en NS ae ae ae OP 617 





CHAPTER. I 


GENERAL SURVEY—GEOGRAPHICAL SITUATION— 
INHABITANTS 


The United States of Mexico,—Estados Unidos 
Mexicanos—extend from the 14%4 to the 3234 de- 
- grees Northern latitude. The northern half of the 
country, more or less, belongs to the moderate, and 
the southern half to the tropical zone. 

The Republic of Mexico is limited on the north 
side by the United States of America, on the east by 
the Gulf of Mexico, on the southeast by the Republic 
of Guatemala, on the southwest and west by the 
Pacific Ocean. 

The northwest part of the country, i. ¢., the larger 
section, belongs to the North-American Continent, 
and is separated from the southeastern section, 
which belongs to Central America, by the Isthmus 
of Tehuantepec. 

Each one of these sections has a large peninsula; 
to the northern part belongs the Peninsula of Lower 
California, and to the southern the Peninsula of 
Yucatan. 

The Republic of Mexico has 1514 millions of in- 
habitants; of these 38 per cent are Indians, 19 per 
cent belong to the white races, and 43 per cent are 
mixed. The Indians were the original inhabitants 
of the country; they are represented by many differ- 
ent tribes, the principal of which are the following: 
the Nahuatlans who number 1,750,000, the Oto- 


9 


IO The Republic of Mexico 


mians who number 709,734, the Zapotecans who 
number 580,000, the Mayans who number 400,000, 
and the Tarascans who number 250,000. 

In the geographical-political division of Mexico 
the following plan is generally followed: First come 
the States along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico; 
these comprise the States of Tabasco, Veracruz and 
Tamaulipas; then the States of the Northern Plateau; 
these are Nuevo Leon, Coahuila, Chihuahua and Du- 
rango; next come the States of the northern Pacific © 
coast, which are Sonora, Sinaloa and Baja California; 
after these come the States of the central Pacific 
coast, these are Nayarit, Jalisco, Colima and Micho- 
acan; then the States of the southern Pacific coast, 
which are Guerrero, Oaxaca and Chiapas; the States 
of the Central Plateau, Zacatecas, Aguascalientes 
and San Luis Potosi; then the States of the southern 
Central Plateau, which are Guanajuato, Queretaro, 
Hidalgo, Mexico, Distrito Federal, Morelos, Tlax- 
cala and Puebla; finally there are the States of the 
Yucatan Peninsula, which are Campeche, Yucatan 
and Quintana Roo. 

In order to facilitate the consulting of this book 
with regard to the many important matters it con- 
tains, we shall always refer to the different States 
according to their alphabetical order. 


AGUASCALIENTES 


The State of Aguascalientes is one of the smallest 
States in the Republic, but it is of considerable im- 
portance, and all its enterprises are in a flourishing 
condition owing to the developed state of its means 
of communication. Inproportion to its area, both its 
agricultural interests and its cattle industry are more 


The Republic of Mexico II 


important than those of larger States whose produc- 
tion is high because of the larger area they occupy. 

The city of Aguascalientes, which is the capital, is 
a very busy commercial and manufacturing center, 
noted for the embroidery and drawn work made by 
its women. 

The railway workshops are the principal in the 
country, providing employment to more than five 
thousand workmen, and its foundry, in which about 
two thousand are employed, is a most important one. 

The area of the State of Aguascalientes is 7,600 
square kilometers, with 115,000 inhabitants who de- 
vote themselves to agriculture, trade, mining and 
other industries. It is located on latitude North, 21 
degrees and 53 minutes. The city of Aguascalientes 
has 48,000 inhabitants and is the chief commercial, 
manufacturing and railroad center in the State. 


BAJA CALIFORNIA 


The Territory of Baja California covers a long, 
narrow zone, divided in its central and widest part 
by a ridge of mountains with wide plains on each 
side, extending as far as the Pacific Ocean and the 
Gulf of Cortez. Continuous dry weather, which 
lasts most of the year, is a normal condition in this 
region, due to the lack of irrigation, for most of the 
small rivers of the Territory exist only at the time 
of the torrential rains which unfortunately are very 
rare in this section of the country. The extent of 
the Territory is enormous, but is very sparsely pop- 
ulated, for on an area of 152,000 square kilometers 
there are only 50,000 inhabitants, that is one indi- 
vidual for every three square kilometers. Notwith- 
standing this, Baja California is exceedingly rich, 


12 The Republic of Mexico 


and large fortunes can be made here, as has been 
shown by many who had sufficient vision and courage 
to brave solitude, exile, the great inconveniences of 
a hot climate prevailing here, and all the other dif- 
ficulties which may be encountered. 

It is precisely the enterprising spirit of men of 
means and energy which is needed in Baja California 
to completely reveal the immense riches of the 
country and its ample opportunities for various in- 
dustries such as mining, oil-drilling and pearl fishing, 
as well as for agriculture, which up to now has been 
entirely neglected. [he productive potentiality of 
these lands has been revealed through the gigantic 
irrigation works of the Colorado river in the 
National Valley; since then more attention has been 
paid to the agricultural development of the Terri- 
tory, for the soil here is excellent and only needs 
irrigation which is accomplished by damming the 
rivers and by sinking artesian wells. ‘The section of 
the Territory called “Valle Nacional,” National 
Valley, can be converted into a region just 
as rich as that of the Nazas river, with the ad- 
vantage that irrigation in the valley can be effected 
by following well-established methods, while in the 
region of the Nazas river, the so-called Lagoo, it is 
entirely dependent upon unforeseeable contingencies. 

Baja California occupies a large stretch of terri- 
tory in the extreme northwest of the Republic, 
starting from the Pulmo and San Jose capes, and 
extending as far as the most northern points of the 
country. 


CAMPECHE 


As will be shown in the various chapters of this 
book this State offers an ample field for those who 


The Republic of Mexico 1? 


desire to devote themselves to the exploitation of the 
inexhaustible riches contained in this privileged sec- 
tion of the Mexican Republic. There are in this 
State immense tracts of land, untilled, but neverthe- 
less, suitable for any agricultural undertaking, such 
as the planting of the Mexican agave or sisal hemp 
from which is won the precious fiber known under 
the name of “thenequen,” or the cultivation of plants 
adapted to tropical regions watered by rivers. All 
conditions in this State are such as to offer many 
opportunities for the safe and profitable investment 
of foreign capital, in agriculture as well as in a 
number of industries, logically originating from the 
presence of diverse kinds of raw material and aided 
by modern technical progress. We especially call 
the attention of the reader to the chapter of Mining 
Industries. Mention is made there of the rich de- 
posits of copper ore and other minerals existing in 
the State of Campeche. Industrialists or capitalists 
interested in this kind of investigation should find it 
worth while looking into the possibility of the 
eventual confirmation of what a tradition of several 
hundred years standing has to say concerning this 
matter. The climate in the State of Campeche is 
tropical but quite healthy, especially when care is 
taken to observe all such hygienic rules as apply to 
tropical countries in general. 

The State of Campeche has a surface area of 
46,855 square kilometers. Its population is 57,000, 
according to the census taken in 1921. This figure, 
however, is believed to be erroneous, ‘since the 
census of 1893 gave the State 91,180 inhabitants, 
and well-informed people think it impossible that 
after thirty years the population should show a de- 
crease of 34,000. The general belief is that many 


Id The Republic of Mexico 


villages and settlements situated in the south of the 
State have not been covered by the last census, due 
to their remoteness from other centers of popu- 
lation. 

The State of Campeche is situated between 17 
degrees 49 minutes and 20 degrees 50 minutes of 
Northern latitude, and between 6 degrees 38 minutes 
and 9 degrees 48 minutes of Eastern longitude from 
the Mexican meridian. 


CHIAPAS 


The State of Chiapas is one of those units in the 
Mexican Federation which, like Michoacan, could 
maintain the whole country in comfort, if its im- 
mense natural resources were properly utilized. 

As a matter of fact, this State is immensely rich, 
and its industrial and economic awakening is not far 
off. The railroad, which cuts through it, has shown 
that it is a region in the highest degree blessed with 
Nature’s best gifts. There exists also, in the main, 
the spirit of enterprise capable of large undertak- 
ings, side by side with the extremely shiftless char- 
acter shown by several indigenous tribes who live on 
the bountiful soil of the State; these tribes are the 
Chamulas, the Lacandones, the Chontales and 
others. 

The forests of the State have a luxuriant vegeta- 
tion, decidedly tropical, the wooded parts sheltering 
numerous species of animals of that zone, and there 
are excellent fish in its rivers. The inhabitants take 
pride in the best in the Republic for quality. Soco- 
nusuco cocoa is superior to the Maracaibo product, 
while the salt deposits are rich and can be utilized 
to great advantage. 


The Republic of Mexico 15 


In truth, Chiapas possesses immense resources, 
and although it is deficient in means of communica- 
tion, which is its chief drawback, it could give enor- 
mous returns in the parts which are least affected by 
that deficiency. Not only are there not enough 
roads in some sections of the State, but communica- 
tion there is almost impossible, as the pack-animals 
and those for the saddle are not able to negotiate 
the roads, for which reason travelers have to fall 
back upon out-of-date methods of transportation, 
such as the use of “tamemes”’ or Indian carriers, who 
are very strong and know the country and make the 
most marvelous journeys carrying immense bur- 
dens, in some cases equaling or exceeding their own 
weight. The foreign companies, however, will solve 
the problem of roads before long, as the finding of 
petroleum and the sinking of shafts for purposes of 
drilling for oil, in which Chiapas is rich, will make 
it absolutely necessary to make the region accessible, 
and roads will be indispensable for that purpose. 

Chiapas has an area of 71,302 square kilometers 
and some 150,000 inhabitants. It is located in the 
narrow portion of the country which can be con- 
sidered as the connection between Mexico and the 
Central American Republics. 


CHIHUAHUA 


This State is the most extensive of all the units 
composing the Mexican Federation. Its soil shows 
the greatest contrasts, from the most desolate 
wasteland, with its moving and changeable dunes, 
to the dales in which the tropical vegetation grows 
in all its exuberance. 

Some sections of the State are very poor, due to 


IO The Republic of Mexico 


the lack of water, but which by means of irrigation 
can be converted into incalculably rich land. All 
the elements necessary to achieve that end are there, 
for the river Conchos, into which flow most of all 
the other rivers of the State, carries an enormous 
volume of water, large quantities of which could be 
dammed for the purpose of irrigation. ‘There is 
already, near the town of Camargo, a large dam 
which holds many millions of cubic feet of water. 
A little beyond the curtain of this dike the construc- 
tion of a canal is planned large enough to carry the 
overflow water from the lake to the section of the 
country called “‘Bolson de Mapimi,” to the region 
which forms a part of the State of Durango, passing 
through portions of Chihuahua, all of which places 
will be benefited by the water and converted into 
valuable agricultural lands, especially suitable for 
the growing of cotton, sugar-cane and grape-vine. 
Agricultural industry in this State is already quite 
important, but it will be so to an even greater extent, 
as soon as many tributaries of the river Conchos are 
dammed in, because then many large stretches of land 
can be utilized for agriculture as well as for pastures. 
Chihuahua holds the first place among the cattle- 
raising States in the Republic. Its cattle, although 
of small size and little milk-yielding capacity, are so 
numerous as to offset the disadvantage of inferior 
quality. Nevertheless, since the stock farmers of 
Chihuahua are so near to the large farms of the 
United States, the Mexican cattle raisers have 
greatly improved upon their stock. As to horses, 
there are none in the Republic of Mexico which can 
be compared to those raised in Chihuahua. They 
are large-sized animals and therefore almost exclu- 
sively used in the cavalry of the Mexican army. 


The Republic of Mexico I7 


The solution of the problem of highways and 
means of communication will develop the enormous 
riches of this State. 

The State of Chihuahua is, as already stated, the 
most extensive in the Republic. It measures 233,094 
square kilometers. Its population numbers 400,000. 

Chihuahua is situated on the border of the United 
States, by which it is very beneficially influenced, but 
not sufficiently so, due to the very limited number of 
inhabitants. In fact, the last circumstance explains 
why so little progress has been made here. 


COAHUILA 


This State figures among the most progressive of 
the Mexican political units and those which have 
encouraged agriculture most. It has struggled with 
tenacity in order to modify the conditions of its 
lands in some sections which were not favorable for 
agricultural exploitation, while it has taken full ad- 
vantage of the good land in other sections of the 
country. Chihuahua enjoys the services of an excel- 
lent and very extensive net of railways, and can 
therefore utilize all its products to the fullest extent. 
The people of Chihuahua have initiative and com- 
mercial valor, and therefore, if more railroads are 
needed in the State for the exploitation of its riches, 
they will be built. 

All the industries established in the State, agricul- 
tural as well as mining, stock-raising or manufactur- 
ing, suffer from the scarcity of labor, and for this 
reason they are not developed to the extent they 
should be, in view of the riches contained in the 
soil. But the obstacle to the full progress of the 
State lies not only in the labor question. ‘There is 


18 The Republic of Mexico 


also the need of more enterprising men, Mexican or 
foreigners, who should come to establish themselves 
in the State, helping to bring about better conditions 
under which the industries could prosper, and col- 
laborating actively in those already established, in 
order to obtain from the soil, the subsoil and from 
the manufacturing of industrial articles an output 
large enough to satisfactorily solve the problem of 
supplying the demand of the State with its own re- 
sources. Coahuila works in such a way as to make 
all its efforts productive. It matters not that along 
with the positive advantages which the ditferent 
territories of the State offer, there frequently exist 
negative influences such as area represented by the 
unfavorable climatic conditions in some of its richest 
regions; it matters not that besides the wealth to be 
obtained there are many inconveniences and even 
hardships that must be endured, because the people 
fully realize that there is strong competition in all 
human activities, and that those will triumph who 
show efficiency in their work. 

A spirit of work and industriousness, the noble 
wish to progress, facilities open to all who come to 
the State with the idea of finding an advantageous 
place in the Coahuilan community of enterprise— 
that is what one who goes there under the noble 
impulse of striving will find in Coahuila. 

The State of Coahuila, in extent the third in the 
Republic, measures 165,219 square kilometers, with 
350,000 inhabitants, most of whom are engaged in 
agriculture, mining or in the other industries estab- 
lished in the State. It is one of the Border-States, 
extending for many miles along the border line of 
the United States, from which it is separated by the 
Bravo river. Consequently it is situated in the 


The Republic of Mexico I9 


northern part of the Republic, and is one of the out- 
lets from and to Mexico for commercial and indus- 
trial products. The customs-town of Piedras 
Negras, the annual entries of which never amount 
to less than $9,000,000 M. C. ($4,500,000 A. C.), 
demonstrates the activity and the magnitude of its 
commercial operations. 


COLIMA 


The State of Colima is one of the smallest polit- 
ical sections of the Republic, but it knows how to 
take advantage of its great natural resources, es- 
pecially in the agricultural field. 

It is situated entirely within the tropical zone, on 
the coast of the Pacific Ocean. ‘The climate here is 
fairly hot, vegetation thrives superbly and produces 
magnificent results. For its development it has the 
advantage of direct communication with the city of 
Guadalajara by means of a railroad, and thence 
with the rest of the Republic. Furthermore, it has 
a seaport, visited by many ships. Consequently most 
of its products have an easy outlet. In spite of that 
at the present time very little progress is noticeable 
in Colima, due to the same circumstances which of 
late years have caused a state of stagnancy in the 
development of several other sections of the Mex- 
ican Republic. Nevertheless the inhabitants of the 
State are beginning to appreciate the great riches 
existing within the borders of their State, and they 
have already started several industries which are 
new to them. Coffee plantations begin to be more 
profitable and consequently receive better care than 
the growing of corn, beans and vegetables. Cacao 
begins also to constitute a profitable industry, and 


20 The Republic of Mexico 


it is certain that little by little there will be under- 
taken the cultivation of other products which pay 
better and yield better results than the old crops. 

The existing easy means of communication en- 
courages the establishment of new industries, and 
there is no doubt that eventually the State will take 
full advantage of the great wealth with which nature 
has favored it. 

The area of this State is 5,887 square kilometers; 
its inhabitants number 80,000, most of them farm- 
ers. It is situated at 19 degrees Northern latitude, 
and occupies an angular strip of land, south of the 
State of Jalisco to the southwest of the State of 
Michoacan. 


DisTRITO FEDERAL (FEDERAL DISTRICT) 


The Federal District, the capital of which is the 
City of Mexico which ranks first among the cities 
of Mexico as to the number of inhabitants as well 
as for its architectural beauty, is the smallest polit- 
ical unit in the Republic, since its area covers not 
more than 1,498 square kilometers. 

The chief importance of the Federal District lies 
in the fact that it is the residence of the high gov- 
ernment officials; in fact it is the seat of the Federal 
Government, consequently within it are located the 
highest offices with their many branches of activity. 
Most of the great industries established in the dif- 
ferent sections of the Republic, especially the large 
companies, have their headquarters in the City of 
Mexico, as the center of information and contact 
with the principal markets in the country. 

The Federal District which in 1910 had about 
700,000 inhabitants, has now, according to some, 
1,200,000; this is, of course, Greater Mexico, that 


The Republic of Mexico 21 


is the city itself and the neighboring suburbs in- 
cluded, all of which are connected with the metrop- 
olis by a net of very efficient electric tramways. The 
great political and economic policies of the country 
are shaped in this small federal state, justly famed 
for the incomparable beauty of its natural scenery, 
the sumptuousness of its mansions, and especially 
for its beautiful climate. — 

The Federal District is a great consuming center 
and a first class producer, as will be seen from our 
statements in the different chapters of this book. 

The Federal District is situated in the Valley of 
Mexico, which forms the southern angle of the 
Great Central Plateau. Its altitude above the level 
of the sea varies between 2,200 and 3,000 meters. 
Its area is a little over 1,400 square kilometers, in- 
habited now by 1,200,000 people. 


DURANGO 


The State of Durango belongs to what is called 
the Central States and has immense natural re- 
sources, which only require the advent of capital 
under peaceful and stable conditions to turn its 
riches to account. It is essentially an agricultural 
State and as such gives employment to more than 
seventy-five thousand men and is, at the same time, 
the principal mining State in the Republic, possessing 
the two largest foundries of the country: that of 
Mapimi and that of Velardena, which yield more 
than twenty million pesos per annum (one peso is 
worth fifty cents in American money). It is also a 
live-stock producing State, and even before the revo- 
lution, which has absorbed the energies of the 
country for the last twelve years, there was a marked 


22 The Republic of Mexico 


tendency to replace the inferior and degenerated 
breeds of the country cattle by fresh ones, through 
either careful crossing or imported stock. ‘The prod- 
ucts of agriculture, mining, stock-raising and the for- 
ests are to a large extent exported, and this demon- 
strates that the State can meet its own needs, and at 
the same time supply other parts of the Republic. 

The mild climate, the generally healthy condi- 
tions, which are the best in the country, the open- 
hearted character of its inhabitants and the friendly 
manner in which they receive foreigners make Du- 
rango one of the places particularly suited for an 
immigration movement that will make it a veritable 
store-house of wealth and contentment. 

None of the other States has suffered as much as 
Durango in the struggles of the past years, and al- 
though devastated by war and revolution, it has yet 
been able to exist and to keep its resources intact, 
thus preserving its latent possibilities which will 
assure its progress at an early date and place it in 
the front rank among the richest and most prosper- 
ous States of the Nation. 

The area of Durango is 111,000 square kilo- 
meters, with a population of 470,000 inhabitants. 
It is located between 22 degrees 53 minutes and 26 
degrees 28 minutes of Northern latitude, and 3 
degrees 45 minutes and 7 degrees 47 minutes of 
longitude West of the meridian of Mexico City. 


GUANAJUATO 


The State of Guanajuata is of enormous impor- 
tance. It has been industrialized to a considerable 
extent, while at the same time it takes full advan- 
tage of the large and important products of its soil. 


The Republic of Mexico 23 


By many it is considered to be one of the first 
mining States of the Republic, since it competes with 
those States which are richer in mineral products. 
Its mines enjoy historical fame, and as far as pro- 
duction is concerned they entirely justify the high 
opinion which has always been held of their rich- 
ness. Guanajuato is also a great agricultural State, 
and is considered to constitute, together with the 
States of Jalisco and Michoacan, the great granary 
of the country, for these three States comprise the 
well-known agricultural region, called ‘‘Bajio,” 
which yields the largest crops of corn, beans and 
wheat. hese grains may not bring the same lucra- 
tive commercial returns as do certain products of the 
tropical zone, but they are nevertheless extremely 
useful, since they constitute the principal foodstuffs 
for the poorer classes of the Mexican population, 
as well as for the rich. 

Thus Guanajuato not only is a producer of com- 
modities of prime necessity, but also one of the few 
States of the country which in many respects fill 
their own demands. This State has the largest 
number of towns, with a population of over 10,000. 
All are devoted to some typical industry, as, for 
instance, the town of Celaya where the finest sweet- 
meats are manufactured, the city of Leon with its 
leather industry, etc. Some of the most important 
spinneries and cotton mills of the Republic are 
located in this State which makes the most strenu- 
ous efforts to be one of the leaders among the most 
advanced States, such as Jalisco, Veracruz, Mexico 
and Puebla. General conditions of peace and tran- 
quillity, confidence in business matters, more rail- 
roads, numerous irrigation works which will make 


the splendid lands of the State independent of the 


24 The Republic of Mexico 


vagaries of the rainy season, generally abundant 
and timely, but not always sure—all this is needed 
by the State for its continued progress, the begin- 
nings of which already exist, due to its great and 
general tendency towards work and industrial enter- 
prises. The area of this State is 28,363 square 
kilometers, and its population numbers, 1,000,000. 
It is situated at 21 degrees of Northern latitude, at a 
mean altitude of 1,800 meters above sea level. The 
climate of the State of Guanajuato is mild and 
healthy. 


GUERRERO 


This State lies in a region of the Republic which 
is almost totally unknown and lives abandoned to its 
own resources. Its mountainous terrain serving as 
a barrier that separates it from the rest of the 
country, with a luxurious vegetation, large rivers 
coursing through the hills, forming numberless 
waterfalls and cutting their way through the moun- 
tains to get an outlet to the ocean, the State of 
Guerrero has very little hope to acquire what it 
needs most, namely rapid means of communication 
which would make it possible to develop its enor- 
mous resources and utilize the wealth of its mines 
and the inexhaustible riches of its lands. 

At present there is only one railroad line which 
touches the territory of Guerrero, but without pene- 
trating far inland: the railroad at Balsas from where 
a highway has been constructed for the trafic of 
automobiles between Iguala and Chilpancingo. 
These means of communication, instead of solving 
the problem, have rather accentuated it more, and 
the road opened is only a small artery through 
which it is impossible for all the dormant life of this 


The Republic of Mexico 25 


region to circulate, Guerrero being a region as rich 
as the southern part of Michaocan and the State of 
Oaxaca. 

The fact that the port of Acapulco on the Pacific 
belongs to this State does not remove the transpor- 
tation difficulties, for Guerrero cannot expect to 
develop and exploit its riches as long as it has to 
make use of roundabout roads, transportation over 
which consumes a very considerable portion of the 
returns, since the maritime freight tariffs are very 
high, and the inevitable, long delays in reaching the 
interior of Mexico cause a number of very heavy 
expenses. 

Consequently Guerrero is bound to keep its pro- 
ductive potentiality latent, waiting for the decisive 
action of the Government and the intelligent co- 
operation of national or foreign enterprises, which 
will result in the construction of rapid means of 
communication, a sure source of future benefits. The 
area of the State of Guerrero is 65,480 square kilo- 
meters, occupied by 560,000 inhabitants. It is situ- 
ated at 15 degrees latitude North, entirely within 
the tropic zone. 


HIDALGO 


This is another State which derives considerable 
advantage from its proximity to the Capital of the 
Republic, it being able to count upon an excellent 
and nearby market for its products. 

It has often been considered the chief mining 
State of the country, although, as we have stated, 
reliable statistics show that it is the State of Du- 
rango which stands first at the present time. Pa- 
chuca, the capital, has some very celebrated mines, as 
are also those of Real del Monte, all of them having 


20 The Republic of Mexico 


large deposits of silver, gold and other metals. It 
is also an important agricultural State, and some of 
the “haciendas’’ (farms) within its borders make 
the best ‘“‘pulques” (fermented juice of the maguey 
plant) which reach the Capital of the Republic. Its 
commercial activity is also remarkable. In the sec- 
tion of the Huasteca region which belongs to the 
State of Hidalgo the same products are obtained as 
in that of Potosi, and it is expected that it will be 
greatly benefited by the continuation and comple- 
tion of the railway line between Beristain (Puebla) 
and Tampico (Tamaulipas). 

The State of Hidalgo contains 22,373 square 
kilometers, and has 630,000 inhabitants. It is 
located at 20 degrees Northern latitude. 


JALISco 


This is a most important State of the Mexican 
Federation; in fact, Jalisco claims to be the first 
State in the Republic. It certainly is so in many 
respects, and if there were oil in it or at least if oil 
were being actually extracted from its soil, it would 
have as much income as the richest of all the Mexican 
States, that is, Veracruz. No other State harvests 
as much corn, beans and similar products as this 
State. The milk production of many States put 
together does not reach the quantity produced in the 
State of Jalisco alone, and its commerce, import as 
well as export, ranks first in the Republic. 

Jalisco has begun its industrial activities with un- 
usual vigor, and takes full advantage of the favor- 
able conditions of the present time. Unfortunately 
the State has not enough means of communication, 
at least of the kind that gives rapid service. ‘The 


The Republic of Mexico 27 


road which is being built between the city of Guada- 
lajara and San Blas, where it will connect with the 
Southern Pacific Railroad of Mexico, will establish 
direct communication between very rich sections of 
the country, with the city of Guadalajara as the 
most appropriate center for their commercial activ- 
ities. Future railroads to distant settlements in the 
State, now absolutely isolated, or nearly so, will 
increase the wealth of the State and will gain and 
distribute great benefits. In this State is located the 
city of Guadalajara which ranks second among all 
the cities of Mexico. In fact everything contributes 
to making Jalisco one of the most potent factors in 
the economic and political life of Mexico. It has, 
furthermore, excellent climatological conditions, it 
is altogether beautiful and prosperous. Here is 
also the famous lake of Chapala, to the shores of 
which the wealthy class of the City of Mexico, as 
well as those from other parts of the country, come 
together at certain times of the year, as a special 
pleasure and health resort. 

If to all this we add the open, hospitable, sincere 
character of the people of Jalisco, their determina- 
tion to work and their positive spirit of progress 
we shall readily admit this State to be of the greatest 
importance. 

The area of the State of Jalisco is 86,752 square 
kilometers, with 1,200,000 inhabitants most of 
whom are devoted to agriculture. It is located to 
the West of the City of Mexico, at 21 degrees of 
Northern latitude. 


MExIco 


The State of Mexico is one of the most important 
in the Republic for the reason that it almost com- 


28 The Republic of Mexico 


pletely surrounds the Federal District, which in 
itself is not sufficiently productive to support a 
population of about 1,000,000 people, and further- 
more because it is directly connected by rail 
with the Capital, and its valleys are fertile and 
productive. 

The principal occupation of its inhabitants is 
agriculture and industry; some individuals have 
indeed scored a remarkable success in the above 
fields. All these branches of activity could, never- 
theless, be greatly improved and developed; this 
also refers to the means of communication in regions 
where they are of prime necessity. 

The cities of Toluca, El Oro, Tlalnepantla, Cua- 
titlan and others are connected by direct railroad 
lines with the Capital of the Republic. 

The milk industry of the State enjoys a wide 
reputation and has an excellent market, where there 
is constant demand for its products. 

All these facts give the State a position of high 
prosperity and one of the brightest possibilities for 
the future, as long as peace, tranquillity and a spirit 
of progress furthers the intensification of its activi- 
ties. The State of Mexico is a first-class exporter 
of goods and raw materials which mostly go to the 
Federal District. 

The -State -has an: area of $24,900") s0umre 
kilometers and is inhabited by almost 883,000 
people. Its mean latitude is about 19 degrees 
18 minutes North. The city of Toluca, the cap- 
ital of the State, lies 2,661 meters above sea 
level and is therefore not only one of the high- 
est, but also one of the coldest places in the 


Republic. 


The Republic of Mexico 29 
MICHOACAN 


The State of Michoacan is one of the richest agri- 
cultural States in the country and at the same time 
one of those which are almost destitute of means 
of communication that are necessary for the exploi- 
tation of its fertile land, which produces varied 
crops and where many other plants might be cul- 
tivated with the certainty of success. 

All the plants which at the present time are grown 
in Michoacan are highly productive, and many of 
them are so to such an extent that the Republic can- 
not consume all they yield, as is the case with rice. 
The rice grown on the “‘haciendas” (farms) of the 
Marques Valley (Valle del Marques) alone, which 
are not the only rice-fields of the State, by far ex- 
ceeds the national consumption, and there is no cer- 
tainty of the State being able to export its surplus, 
on account of the aforementioned lack of transporta- 
tion facilities. 

The problem before Michoacan is that of rail- 
way communication and the construction of roads 
for motor traffic, not for the purpose of increasing 
production, but simply with the object of using that 
which the land yields under the present imperfect 
system of cultivation, and which 1s sufficient to meet 
all the needs of the country. 

This need of proper means of communication has 
been particularly felt during the droughts which the 
country has experienced, such as those of the period 
from 1887 to 1892, in which years the State of 
Michoacan, where everything was produced in 
abundance, could have rendered inestimable sery- 
ices to the Nation, if there had only been the neces- 
sary means of transportation. There are also other 


30 The Republic of Mexico 


problems, such as those of cotton-raising, which — 
Michoacan could easily solve, as the land is very 
rich and the indispensable element for obtaining 
good crops, water, is abundant, for the rivers are 
large and of a permanent nature. 

It seems that the farmers in the southern part of 
the State are seriously turning their attention to the 
question of making roads, and that they have ob- 
tained a concession from the Government for the 
construction of roads which will start from Uruapan 
and run to Huetano and other parts. The difficulty, 
however, will not be completely solved by this means 
alone, but only lessened; the chief need is railways. 

The State of Michoacan has an area of 58,594 
square kilometers, and 980,000 inhabitants, and is 
located in 19 degrees 26 minutes Northern latitude. 


MOoRELOS 


This State is one of the smallest in the Mexican 
Federation, but it possesses great wealth, the ex- 
ploitation of which.is well under way. For many 
years Morelos has been the principal sugar-pro- 
ducer in the country, not only on account of the 
extensive production of sugar-cane, which is very 
abundant, but also due to the important fact that it 
is situated near the Federal District, which, of 
course, offers an excellent market for local consump- 
tion as well as for export to other sections of the 
country or to foreign lands of the great variety of 
its surplus products. Morelos has taken good ad- 
vantage of this proximity, and although it possesses 
only one railroad line which runs from Mexico 
to Balsas, and one branch road from Puebla to 
Cuautla, it is able to export considerable quantities 


The Republic of Mexico ug! 


of its products. But it could do much more, of 
course, if railroad lines crossed its small territory 
which at times is handicapped by insufficient means 
of transportation. 

Morelos is one of the principal purveyors of 
fruits and timber; therefore, itis to be expected that 
it will soon be provided with all the facilities neces- 
sary for the exploitation of its resources. 

The 4,911 square kilometers of the State of 
Morelos are inhabited by 175,000 people, most of 
whom are engaged in agriculture, especially in the 
growing of sugar-cane and the various industries 
which are dependent upon sugar-cane as raw ma- 
terial. 

The State is situated to the South of the Federal 
District, bordering on the municipalities of Tlalpam, 
Xochimilco and Milpa Alta. 


NAYARIT 


This State is one of those unknown regions of 
Mexico which keep in store enormous surprises. 
Being cut off by the barrier of the Occidental Sierra 
Madre mountain chain, it has had little communica- 
tion with the rest of the country. Its wealth has 
been little exploited because of the great difficulties 
in the matter of means of communication. The soil 
of the State is extremely rich, because it is watered 
by rivers which have abundant water all the year 
round and which during the rainy season inundate 
the country at times to such an extent that the farm- 
ers have to go about their fields in canoes to glean 
their corn. ‘These floods are a great help to the 
farmer, especially when the soil is scientifically tilled. 
Its mines, a great number of which have never been 


32 The Republic of Mexico 


worked, certainly will add in time their portion to 
that of the other mining States of Mexico, making 
Mexico the leader among all the silver-producing 
countries of the world, while it holds a distinguished 
place among those that produce gold. 

Many of the actual problems which the State 
of Nayarit has to solve will certainly be disposed of 
as soon as the railroads are built which will connect 
the State with the city of Guadalajara, and Mazat- 
lan with Durango. By these roads many of the 
products of Nayarit will be exported. 

Although around many settlements and towns an 
injudicious destruction of forests has taken place, 
such abuses have now been stopped by the authori- 
ties and large tracts of virgin forests are still left, 
which, if exploited in a scientific way, will undoubt- 
edly yield magnificent results. 

There is another source of wealth in the State of 
Nayarit and that is live-stock raising. Already now 
there are large numbers of cattle grazing in splendid 
pastures. There is scarcely any milk industry and 
the cows are roaming about in perfect liberty, with- 
out their milk being utilized in any form. 

With regard to this State we have to repeat what 
we have already said about other States: Nayarit 
loses much of what it produces, because there is no 
way to utilize it all, be it agricultural products, fruits 
of the region, industrial plants and herbs, live stock 
which produce nothing or scarcely anything. Large 
quantities of hides of cattle as well as of ferocious 
beasts such as tigers, mountain lions, etc., etc., are 
lost every year, because nobody knows how to pre- 
serve them. 

General progress in Nayarit requires roads, men 
of enterprise, and labor. 


The Republic of Mexico 2 


The area of the State of Nayarit is 28,731 square 
kilometers, with 90,000 inhabitants. It is situated 
at 22 degrees North latitude, along the coast of the 
Pacific Ocean. Its population is composed mostly 
of mestees and quite a number of pure Indians, 
Nayaritas, Huicholes and Coras. 


Nuevo LEon 


Although this State has not been very much 
favored by Nature, it knows how to take advantage 
of what it has; it is one of the most industrious 
States of the Republic. It offers a clear proof of 
what man can accomplish when he is determined not 
to allow himself to be thwarted by unfavorable cir- 
cumstances, but rather create the appearance of 
living in God’s privileged country. 

Agriculture is fairly well attended to, but it is 
greatly handicapped by the lack of irrigation. 
Irrigation works in all rivers of the State, which as 
a rule do not carry very much water, would make 
the land a great deal more productive than it is 
now. hose regions which it has been possible to 
irrigate are cultivated extensively as well as inten- 
sively with the very best of results. 

The State is rich, due to the industry of its inhab- 
itants, and because they have carried on their activi- 
ties with great energy. A large foundry, the largest 
in the country, casts not only the metals mined in 
the State, but also those of many other States. Its 
great brewery ranks second among those in the 
country, and all its diverse business activities are 
quite successful. Monterrey, its capital, is very 
favorably situated and is one of the most active rail- 
road centers in Mexico. The characteristic aim of 


34 The Republic of Mexico 


the business people of this State is to rank first in 
their respective fields. ‘Che mines in the State are 
actively worked. Its export and import trade is 
very active. Finally, Nuevo Leon is one of those 
Mexican States which try to recover all they have 
lost during the last long revolution. 

Years ago Nuevo Leon used to be one of the 
first, if not the first, among the States of the Mex- 
ican Union. 

The State of Nuevo Leon has an area of 54,838 
square kilometers and a population of 350,000. It 
is situated on the northern frontier of the Republic, 
and is one of the States which have had the good 
sense to learn from the example set by the neighbor- 
ing United States in all matters of development and 
progress. 


OAXACA 


This is one of the Federal units which is most 
heavily handicapped by the want of rapid means of 
communication with the center of the country. 

The railroad connecting it with the City of Mexico 
has been in operation only a few years, and there 
are still vast sections of the State, which not only 
have deficient means of communication with the 
Capital of the Republic, but also with the Capital of 
their own State. If to this we add the small num- 
ber of seaports it has, it becomes obvious that the 
Government must give, as it most certainly will, 
every possible encouragement to concerns which pro- 
pose to construct lines of communication traversing 
the State in all directions, so as to turn to account 
the wealth possessed by this section, not only in 
minerals, but also in connection with agriculture, 
forestry, horticulture, live-stock raising, etc. 


The Republic of Mexico | 35 


Oaxaca is a State which, although bound by ties 
of common interest to the rest of the Republic, has 
always been able to maintain itself economically in- 
dependent to a certain extent, and has a distinct 
individuality of its own. Its historical traditions 
and the fact that the ancestors of the present in- 
habitants were able to successfully oppose the im- 
perialistic designs of the Aztecs, under the leader- 
ship of Cosijoesa and his noble son Cosijope, the 
latter coming to reign in Tehuantepec in order to 
once for all destroy the domination of the Aztecs 
who threatened to overrun the South are not for- 
gotten. (Nor are its people unmindful of the fact 
that the energy and the abilities of the Indian Race 
were once again demonstrated by a notable Indian 
of the Tzapotecs.) The peaceful conditions which 
are daily becoming more firmly established through- 
out the country, tend to promote the welfare of the 
State, to recover the vigor of former years and to 
establish new industries. 

The soil abounds in natural resources. If uti- 
lized, it can, as is the case in many other States, 
produce enormous quantities of articles of prime 
necessity, and furnish raw material for many paying 
industries which at present are almost unknown in 
Oaxaca. 

There are many reasons why this State should be 
a producer on a large scale; among them are: a mag- 
nificent location in the torrid zone, a large area 
and a fair number of inhabitants. 

The area of the State is 92,443 square kilometers, 
with a population of 1,000,000 persons. It is 
located in the Southern part of the country, com- 
pletely within the torrid zone. 


30 The Republic of Mexico 
PUEBLA 


Due to its proximity to the Federal District, its 
distance from which is only a few kilometers, and 
the activity of its business people, the State of 
Puebla progresses rapidly; it is one of the States 
that have the most factories. 

The Southern Plateau, bounded by the volcanic 
axis which interposes between the two deep valleys 
of the rivers Balsas and Panuco, and the extreme 
points of which are the volcano of Colima and the 
mountain peak of Orizaba, begin in the plains of 
the State of Puebla which forms part of the famous 
Grand Plateau, one of the most fertile of the 
country. Puebla has regions in the different 
climates; those near the high mountains are cold; 
the climate in the high valleys of the city of Puebla, 
of Tehuacan and Teziutlan is temperate; while the 
south, Atlixco, Chiautla, Izucar is torrid. There 
are regions, like that of Chiautla, which present the 
most varied natural scenery, according to the sea- 
son of the year; here we have before our view a 
dead and arid waste, and there a luxuriant vegeta- 
tion where all animal species of the tropics abound, 
many of which are quite dangerous, as will be ex- 
plained in the chapter, ‘Flora and Fauna.” 

The city of Puebla, the capital of the State, 
ranks third among the cities of Mexico. To the 
North of this city are situated the famous volcanoes, 
‘“‘Popocatepetl” and “Ixtaccihuatl,” covered by per- 
petual snow. 

Within the territory of this State are located the 
principal works of the Necaxa power plant, and this 
State can boast of the fact that it furnishes electric 
energy to the Federal District, Hidalgo and Mex- 


The Republic of Mexico 37 


ico, extending even to places in other States, as for 
example to [lalpuahua which belongs to the State 
of Michoacan. 

The great factories of the cities of Puebla and 
the town of Atlixco strive to keep up with modern 
methods. These factories, together with those of 
Rio Blanco, the City of Mexico, and some of Gua- 
najuato and of Hidalgo, supply most of the cash- 
meres, cloth, fabrics, and blankets used in the 
country. [here are some who think that these 
national industries if protected by special tariffs 
would be quite able to compete with similar foreign 
industries. Puebla is striving toward that end. 

The State of Puebla is situated to the Southeast 
of the Federal District, not far away from it, for 
Puebla, the capital of the State, lies at 19 degrees 
Northern latitude. Its area is 33,653 square kilo- 
meters, and its population numbers 1,000,000 per- 
sons. 


QUERETARO 


Placed in the center of the country, with many 
railroad lines crossing it in the direction from North 
to South, the State of Queretaro can easily be put 
in a condition to make rapid progress, as soon as 
there is evidenced a greater interest in industrial 
undertakings. Several spinning mills and textile 
factories which are of considerable importance are 
already operated in the State, but its general activ- 
ities should and easily could, extend to other fields 
as well as is the case in the State of Guanajuato, its 
neighbor on the West side. 

Up to now, the principal wealth of the State has 
consisted in its mines, and one of the typical scenes 
to be observed at the Mexican railroad stations is 


38 The Republic of Mexico 


the selling of common jewelry, in the manufacture 
of which are used opals mined in this State. 

The State of Queretaro is of great historical im- 
portance, not only because here was fought the last 
battle of the famous Mexican Empire, Maximilian 
having been shot on the Hill of the Bells (Cerro de 
las Camapanas) which is situated near the city of 
Queretaro, but also because in the same city of 
Queretaro the meetings of the first independents, 
under the leadership of the soldier-priest Hidalgo, 
were held, and finally because the famous Constit- 
uent Congress met here in the year 1917 and promul- 
gated the Constitution by which the Republic of 
Mexico has been governed since. 

The area of the State measures 11,638 square 
kilometers. Its population numbers 243,000 per- 
sons who devote themselves partly to agriculture, 
and partly to the mining industry. ‘The State is 
located in the center of the Republic, and covers a 
small section of the valley of the river Lerma and 
a larger section of the valley of the Panuco river. 


QUINTANA Roo 


Quintana Roo is called a Territory, because its 
general conditions are such as not to allow it to 
number among the regular States of the Republic; 
for all administrative purposes it depends entirely 
and directly on the Federal Government. Not 
much, indeed, can be expected, so far as general 
advancement is concerned, from an immense area of 
land having one inhabitant for every five square 
kilometers. It is a well-known and acknowledged 
fact that the all-around development of the Mexican 
Republic requires a large influx of foreign elements, 


The Republic of Mexico 39 


especially those with capital; this is particularly true 
in the case of a territory such as Quintana Roo. In 
fact, this section of the Mexican Union has not even 
started what could be called development, notwith- 
standing the circumstances that its general condi- 
tions altogether favor the establishment of large 
foreign colonies. Above all it must be taken into 
consideration that Quintana Roo is not only a very 
fertile country, but that it also enjoys the great 
advantage of being very near the United States, for 
a three days’ trip would take the traveler from any 
point of the coast to New Orleans, La.; Mobile, Ala., 
or any southern port of Florida. Most of the soil 
of Quintana Roo is composed of vegetable mold, 
consequently it is so rich as to give exuberant growth 
to whatever seed is planted in it. It is absolutely 
true that properly organized groups of emigrants, 
provided with some capital, would find in Quintana 
Roo a most favorable field for agricultural enter- 
prises, and naturally also for such industries as have 
to rely on agriculture, and to a large extent on the 
forests for the supply of raw materials. Everything 
in Quintana Roo—its forests, its land, its coasts— 
is still untouched by human hand; strong and will- 
ing hands are necessary and awaited to bring forth 
the most varied and abundant riches. Should the 
development of the Quintana Roo Territory or of 
any other section of Mexico be undertaken, there is 
the assurance that every facility for the purpose 
will be offered by the Mexican Government. 

The Territory of Quintana Roo is situated be- 
tween 22 degrees North latitude and 18 degrees 
Southern latitude. It covers an area of 49,914 
square kilometers, and its inhabitants number 9,109. 

This State is in the central section of the country. 


4O The Republic of Mexico 
SAN Luis Poros! 


A large part of it is located in the least favored 
region of the North, which is known under the name 
of “Valle del Salado” (Salt or Nitre Valley) and 
which contains less vegetable matter than the sec- 
tion called the ‘‘Bolson,’’ where the soil is rich in 
vegetable substances and, possessing water, is fertile 
and capable of giving enormous returns. The “Sal- 
ado” is poor and can only support poor pasturage. 
But next to this very poor region there is the “Huas- 
teca’”’ section whose soil is very rich, as is also, 
although not to the same extent, that in the central 
section of the State which includes Guadalcazar, 
Cerritos, Pastora, Rio Verde, Ciudad Fernandez 
and Santa Maria del Rio. 

Agriculture and cattle-raising constitute the basis 
of the public wealth, next in importance being mining 
and the various “‘ixtle’’ fiber industries which are 
daily growing in prosperity and which are destined 
to play a very important and brilliant part in the 
industrial progress and welfare of the people. 

San Luis Potosi has more conditions favorable to 
its progress than many other States of the Republic, 
because it is located at no very great distance from 
the principal cities of the North and the Capital of 
the Republic. It is cut through by two railroad 
lines: the Ferrocarril Nacional which extends to 
Laredo, and the Aguascalientes to Tampico, both of 
them magnificent routes suitable for export as well 
as for import trade. It also has oil fields, such as 
those at Ebano and others which probably are also 
very rich, especially in the section of the State called 
the ‘“Huasteca Potosina.”” The capital of the State, 
San Luis, is the fourth city in importance in the 


The Republic of Mexico 41 


country and is a very busy commercial center. The 
influx of foreign capital is, nevertheless, necessary 
for the fostering of local industriesywhich at present 
are only in their infancy, and for the construction of 
projected dikes, because these will render immense 
tracts of land fit for cultivation. This State offers 
a splendid field for the investment of foreign capital 
among an eminently progressive class of people. 
San Luis Potosi has an area of 62,200 square kilo- 
meters and a population of 628,000 persons, of whom 
more than 100,000 devote themselves to agriculture. 


SINALOA 


This is one of the States which have succeeded in 
making considerable headway in matters of general 
economic development, in spite of their difficulties 
as regards means of communication with the center 
of the country. In fact, even now it is easier and 
less expensive to travel from Sinaloa across the 
State of Sonora and part of the United States or 
using the ocean route as far as the port of Man- 
zanillo, in order to reach the central parts of the 
Republic, than by crossing the Sierra Madre moun- 
tain range as far as the State of Durango. Never- 
theless, Sinaloa has gone to work; it has begun to 
utilize the enormous resources of its soil, and is a 
really prosperous State. 

With regard to agricultural wealth, the State 
possesses enormous possibilities, and as soon as the 
railroad line from San Blas to Guadalajara and 
especially that from Mazatlan to Durango is put in 
operation Sinaloa will be in a condition to develop 
more rapidly and more advantageously. Consider- 
able quantities of the finest textile, tinctorial, medic- 


42 The Republic of Mexico 


inal and food plants, excellent timber for construc- 
tion as well as for cabinet-making purposes abound 
all over its territory, perfectly watered by large 
rivers which nearly all run in a parallel direction 
towards the ocean. Due to this circumstance the 
irrigation problem in Sinaloa did not have to be 
solved by the intelligence of men, since it has been am- 
ply done by Nature; men only had to build canals to 
direct the flow of water towards the desired sections. 

Live-stock raising has been very well attended to 
in this State, and the breeds, although home raised, 
have been subjected to a very careful selection for 
some time and are of a better class than those in 
other sections of the Republic. 

The mining industry constitutes a rich vein of 
wealth in this State, and the mines as well as the 
sands of its rivers contain treasures which are ex- 
ploited by the inhabitants of the State to the full 
extent of their abilities. 

This State, like the State of Sonora, is a high- 
minded and active State, always tending to utilize its 
own resources rather than to appeal to outside aid. 
Its inhabitants are, as a rule, industrious and enter- 
prising, frank and open-minded, hospitable and 
courageous. 

The State has an area of 71,380 square kilometers 
and 300,000 inhabitants, mostly farmers. It is 
situated at the same latitude as the State of Durango 
in its Southern part, and a little more advanced in 
latitude towards the North. 


SONORA 


This State is immense and has enormous natural 
resources. In size it is the second largest State in 


The Republic of Mexico 43 


the Republic. In its different regions all varieties 
of cultivation can be undertaken with every assur- 
ance of success. Its location, although very distant 
from the center of the Republic, is very favorable, 
because it can send easily and promptly all its prod- 
ucts to a sure market: the United States. 

The mining industry of Sonora is remarkable and 
it certainly aims at becoming the first metal produc- 
ing State of the Republic. As to gold production, 
if it is not the first among the Mexican States that 
produce this precious metal, it certainly ranks among 
the principal ones in this respect, for there is gold 
not only in its mines, but also in the sands of its 
rivers, particularly in the region which appears to 
be the most desolate and desert-like, that is the 
northwestern section of the State. 

The inhabitants are, as a rule, very energetic in 
business matters, so much so that all their enter- 
prises are greatly progressing. 

The definite progress of the State will be decid- 
edly stimulated by the construction of such irriga- 
tion works as will free the region situated along the 
seashore and the territories adjacent to it from the 
great inconveniences produced by the drought and 
the lack of opportune rains. 

For many years one of the numerous indigenous 
tribes who live in the rich plains along the Yaqui 
river has been a serious obstacle to peace and tran- 
quillity in the State, and consequently in the Re- 
public. 

Even now the Yaqui Indians do not entirely and 
absolutely submit to the Government and, after a 
struggle which has lasted for years, these Indians 
seem to have an instinctive hatred for all men that 
belong to a different race from theirs. Once this 


44 The Republic of Mexico 


serious problem is solved Sonora will greatly profit 
by the good qualities of these Indians, such as 
industry and physical strength. 

The State of Sonora is on the whole progressing 
very rapidly in agriculture as well as in live-stock 
raising and mining industries; in fact, Sonora is one 
of the most important States of the Republic of 
Mexico. 

Sonora has an extension of 198,496 square kilo- 
meters and 250,000 inhabitants. ‘This shows that 
conditions here are relatively the same as in the 
State of Chihuahua. Consequently one of the chief 
problems which the State is called upon to solve is 
that of populating the region in order to fully utilize 
the many and varied riches it holds. 

Sonora borders on the United States, from where 
it receives the splendid example of industry and the 
spirit of enterprise. ‘The territories of the State of 
Sonora are situated on the highest latitude in the 
geographical location of Mexico. 


TABASCO 


The State of Tabasco is, like ancient Egypt, the 
Daughter of its Rivers! It is located on a marshy 
soil, furrowed in all directions by innumerable rivers 
which are very near to one another and which form 
large swamps and backwaters, lagoons, etc. The 
land in Tabasco is some 30 or 40 meters above sea 
level, and is covered with a luxuriant, tropical vege- 
tation which is one of the richest of this part of 
Mexico. Not a single railway crosses its territory, 
though there is no need of same, nor would such 
means of communication be suited to the class of 
land for it has a marvelous network of rivers, and 


The Republic of Mexico 45 


the Grijalva and Usumacinta rivers, which comprise 
all or the larger part of the river system of Tabasco, 
are navigable for more than 300 kilometers from 
their mouth. 

The sources of Tabasco’s wealth are agriculture, 
live stock and timber. It has no mines, but very 
rich deposits of hydrocarbons which are about to be 
developed ona large scale. 

The total area of the State is 26,861 square kilo- 
meters, in which there are about 170,000 inhab- 
itants, to a large extent devoted to agriculture, the 
cutting of timber and the gathering of fruit. Min- 
ing, as we have stated, is almost unknown in Ta- 
basco, where the only minerals obtainable are 
copper, mercury, coal, nearly all of which are in the 
neighborhood of the town of Villahermosa. Here 
are also deposits of asphalt, which may become an 
excellent source of profit. The occupations in which 
the inhabitants now engage pay well, but they could 
be made still more lucrative. Large loads of freight 
leave Frontera (port of the State) with Tabascan 
products which annually amount to many millions 
of pesos (Mexican currency) as the worth of cocoa 
alone is more than two millions, “‘chicle’’ (sapodilla 
gum) reaches nearly a half million, and the exporta- 
tion of woods, fruit, tobacco, hides, rice, skins of 
tigers, pumas (American lion) and _ alligators 
amounts to several hundred thousand more. 


TAMAULIPAS 


This is another of the prosperous States of the 
Republic which receive great benefits from their 
proximity to the United States, through the materia! 
example of American working systems as well as 


40 The Republic of Mexico 


through the American spirit of enterprise and reso- 
luteness. The exploitation of oil fields has brought 
some benefits to the State, although probably not 
all it should have yielded, as a result of which the 
State has always been in a fairly good financial con- 
dition and very active commercially. 

Being situated on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, 
although the conditions of its harbors are by no 
means favorable, the State derives many advantages 
from its location which of late has become a new 
source of income and business activity, for a good 
many of its inhabitants devote themselves to fishery 
along the coast. 

If to its favorable location and the existence 
within its borders of hydrocarbons we add its agri- 
cultural wealth and its industries which day by day 
are developing in the proper direction, we can get a 
fair idea concerning the prosperity of this State. 

Another of the advantages possessed by the State 
consists in the fact that it has means of communica- 
tion which, though they may not be as plentiful as 
could be desired, fairly well cover its essential 
sources of wealth and cross the richest sections of 
the State. Furthermore, some of its rivers are nav- 
igable for many kilometers and constitute arteries 
of commercial life highly useful for the exploitation 
of the riches of Tamaulipas. 

Its inhabitants are, as in the case of the people of 
Veracruz, high-minded, determined, enterprising, 
open and frank, and they preserve their typical cus- 
toms, in spite of all influences from without. 

Tamaulipas is also a stock-raising State making 
commercial use of its cattle as well as of the by- 
products of stock-farming. The State follows the 
best methods of tanning. The textile industry, es- 


The Republic of Mexico wT 


pecially the manufacture of different articles from 
fiber, is well liked by the people of Tamaulipas who 
have made splendid progress in this field. 

The area of the State of Tamaulipas amounts to 
79,862 square kilometers; its inhabitants number 
230,000, most of whom are devoted to agriculture 
and the industries connected with the extraction of 
petroleum. A considerable number of persons 
give their attention to live-stock raising, others to 
domestic industries, such as the making of ropes and 
the manufacture of saddles and leather. 

Being situated in the northeast plane of the 
country, on the coast of the Gulf and to a consider- 
able extent along the border of the United States, 
Tamaulipas is in a condition to develop in every 
sense, even independently of its petroleum indus- 
tries. 


TLAXCALA 


Next to the Federal District, this is the smallest 
of all the units in the Federation, as even the State 
of Morelos is slightly larger. It is located, how- 
ever, at a very short distance from the Federal Dis- 
trict, in fact, only a little over one hundred kilo- 
meters away, and is in a position to exploit in an 
admirable manner the products of a soil which, as 
in the rest of the regions of the Republic, is very 
fertile and in no respect differs from that of the 
richest sections of the States of Hidalgo and Puebla. 
On the other hand, since the land produces the best 
“maguey” (agave atrovirens), a plant from which 
is extracted the intoxicating, though at the same 
time nourishing liquid called “pulque,” ‘Tlaxcala 
possesses an additional great source of wealth, and 
may be considered a rich State. 


48 The Republic of Mexico 


The State has an area of 3,974 square kilometers 
and a population of 180,000 inhabitants, who are 
mostly engaged in agricultural pursuits. It is located 
east of Mexico, at a distance of about 100 kilo- 
meters. 


VERACRUZ 


Veracruz is one of the units of the Mexican Re- 
public which are fully conscious of their great value 
to the economic and social life of the country. A 
peculiar fact about it is that it has the smallest num- 
ber of illiterates among its inhabitants, for it has 
paid the greatest attention to its schools and can 
boast of the fact that from its Normal School for 
Teachers has sprung the modern movement of peda- 
gogic reforms which have been adopted throughout 
the country. 

Although situated on the Gulf, it has not been 
able to accomplish much in maritime industries, due 
to the inadequate conditions of its littorals which 
are very low and sandy. Even Veracruz has re- 
quired very extensive harbor improvements to be 
serviceable as a seaport. It is the principal seaport 
of the Republic, and the key to the commercial com- 
munication of Mexico with foreign countries. 

But what gives Veracruz its present predominant 
position is the immense number of oil wells of the 
greatest productivity, as well as those of the great- 
est potentiality, all located within its borders, as for 
example the well of Cerro Azul, up to now the most 
productive oil well in the world and nearly equal to 
the famous well of Juan Casiano, also belonging to 
the State of Veracruz and which is already ex- 
hausted. Cerro Azul has a potentiality of 250,000 
barrels of oil a day. The famous oil camps of 


The Republic of Mexico 49 


Amatlan, Los Naranjos, Zacamixtle, ‘Tancochin, 
Ozuluama are also located within this State. 

To this enormous wealth must be added the im- 
mense agricultural and industrial output of the State 
which, all combined, make Veracruz the wealthiest 
State in the Republic. 

Anything undertaken in this State soon develops 
into an enterprise of large proportions. The inhab- 
itants, few of whom are uneducated, know how to 
direct their efforts toward useful aims, and therefore 
there is far less poverty in this State than in the 
rest of the country. There is no doubt that the 
surroundings in which the people here live and 
move about, strongly influence the masses, stimu- 
lating their energy, making them fully conscious 
of their worth and impressing a sense of purpose 
upon all. 

The State of Veracruz has an area of 75,863 
square kilometers and a population of 1,150,000 in- 
dividuals. It occupies an extensive region, some 700 
kilometers long and from 60 to 120 kilometers wide. 
The coast is low and sandy, the northern part of 
which being called the windward or weather shore, 
and the southern the leeward coast. ‘The largest 
part of the State is located within the tropical zone; 
located so near to the ocean, and its land being as a 
rule very low, the whole State, with the exception of 
the higher sections, is torrid. Its altitude varies in 
the different sections from one meter (Alvarado) 
to 5000 meters (Pico de Orizaba) above sea level. 


YUCATAN 


The State of Yucatan is essentially an agricul- 
tural country; this circumstance makes it precisely 


50 The Republic of Mexico 


one of the richest States in the Mexican Republic. 
As we shall see in the chapter on Agriculture, the 
tilling of the land is a great source of wealth in 
Yucatan, which, nevertheless, is far from enjoying 
the degree of prosperity which the State is bound to 
attain, as soon as certain developments render pos- 
sible the intensive exploitation of the wealth 
contained in its soil. This will certainly happen 
whenever the immigration of healthy and robust 
elements substantially increases the number of 
inhabitants dedicated to agricultural pursuits and 
the influx of capital from without brings about 
the establishment of new industries based on agri- 
culture, which will supply the most essential raw 
materials. 

Numerous opportunities for the investment of 
foreign capital are indicated in the various chapters 
of our detailed description of all the States of the 
Mexican Republic. 

As far as immigration is concerned, we must state 
that general conditions in Yucatan are favorable to 
the establishment of foreign colonists of the proper 
origin or race, provided that they are willing to 
build a prosperous future for themselves by dint of 
honest effort and some sacrifice. ‘The principal ef- 
fort would probably consist in getting accustomed 
to a new climate, tropical but healthy, in observing 
a few rules, which experience has proved to be abso- 
lutely indispensable in all tropical countries as a 
safeguard against the most common diseases. There 
is no doubt that by adhering to such rules, even 
people from northern countries will accustom them- 
selves by degrees to the climate of Yucatan and 
attain great prosperity. 

The State of Yucatan is situated at 22 degrees 


The Republic of Mexico 51 


latitude North and 20 degrees latitude South. The 
area of the State is 41,287 square kilometers, and 
its inhabitants number 340,000. 


ZACATECAS 


This State has always been considered one of the 
principal mining States of the Republic, and since the 
mining industry has been one of those most affected 
by the civil wars and revolutions in Mexico, Zaca- 
tecas is in a state of considerable decadence. ‘This 
circumstance, however, does by no means destroy 
the fact that the elements of wealth of old are still 
there, consequently it can and will restore its ancient 
prestige and wealth, as soon as the mines in the State 
are once more being worked to their full capacity. 
Some of them, as the mines of Proano, Concepcion 
del Oro, Veta Grande, Los Tocayos and others are 
being worked even now, though on a very small scale. 

Live-stock raising, another of the great resources 
of the country greatly damaged by the war disturb- 
ances of late years, is actually fighting hard in order 
to attain once more the rank it used to hold among 
the industrial activities of the State. 

The capital city of the State, Zacatecas, which at 
a time used to have as many as 50,000 inhabitants, 
has at present not more than 10,000, and had even 
less during the dread period of the revolution. 

But Zacatecas, as we have already stated, pos- 
sesses immense riches, at the ready disposal of those 
who go to its fields, its mines and its towns, to bring 
the valuable assistance of their capital and energy. 

Men of enterprise will find all the incentive they 
need and wish in the extremely rich mines of the 
State, in the raising of live stock, for which the 


52 The Republic of Mexico 


people of the State are especially fit, and in agricul- 
ture in those sections of the State, as for example 
the southeastern, which are sufficiently well watered. 

Zacatecas has an area of 63,386 square kilo- 
meters and 422,000 inhabitants. It is situated at 
22 degrees 47 minutes latitude North. 


MEXICAN CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION 


The Federal Constitution of Mexico, according 
to which the country is now governed, was made on 
the 31st of January in the year 1917 in the city of 
Queretaro, capital of the State of the same name; 
it has been in force since the first day of May of 
that year. 

The States, of which there are twenty-eight, have 
their own Administration in all interior matters in 
accordance with State Constitutions, while the two 
Territories and the Federal District, in which lies 
the City of Mexico, the Capital of the Republic, are 
administered by the Central Government. 

The Administration in the Federation, as well as 
in the different States, has a marked personal char- 
acter. Not only the President, but also every Goy- 
ernor, every Chief of Police, every Judge, and, in 
fact, every Government Official, wields a great per- 
sonal influence which must not be mistaken, and 
which has to be remembered and reckoned with by 
all such parties as intend to have success in business 
matters of any kind in that country. Therefore, 
good personal relations and references are extremely 
valuable. 

The laws of the country are good, but their inter- 
pretation and application may greatly vary accord- 
ing to cases and circumstances. 


The Republic of Mexico 53 


The laws concerning custom-duties and stamp- 
duties are very complicated. Great care must be 
exercised not to infringe upon these laws. ‘Those 
who need or wish complete details concerning such 
laws, can easily obtain them from any Mexican 


Consular Office. 


LABOR CONDITIONS AND WAGES 


Labor conditions in Mexico, in general, are favor- 
able. There are relatively enough workmen in the 
country for the now-existing extensive industry. 
Only during the period of the cotton and coffee 
harvests the help of women and children is needed, 
and additional working people have to be hired 
where they can be found, generally in other States or 
in the towns. Conditions in the industrial districts, 
in the mines and in the oil-drilling sections are not 
so favorable. Wages in the country districts are 
still relatively low, but in the industrial districts, 
and in the cities they are already quite high and are 
constantly increasing. In Mexico, just as in prac- 
tically all other countries of the world, the question 
of wages has been and is the cause of frequent 
strikes. _ 

The Mexican Indian, as a rule, is a good and will- 
ing worker. He is not much given to economizing, 
and is content to earn enough to satisfy his needs. 
But since his needs are few, he does not see the 
necessity of his working much after he has earned 
what he considers sufficient for his subsistence. This 
of course, is a question of education. ‘The Indian, 
when treated in the right manner, is quite willing 
to listen to good advice and can be taught to do all 
the work possible, in order to save and acquire a 


54 The Republic of Mexico 


good many things of which he knows very little and 
which nevertheless are indispensable for healthy 
conditions of life. 

Wages are different in the various States and sec- 
tions of the country. In the agricultural enterprises 
wages are paid in cash as well as in kind, that is, 
in both at the same time. In such cases the wages 
in cash are very low, from 30 to 40 centavos (15-20 
cents A. C.) a day. 

In the States along the Atlantic coast, in Ta- 
_basco, Veracruz and Tamaulipas, farm laborers get, 
in case they are not paid in kind, from $0.75 to 
$2.00 a day in Mexican money (one Mexican peso 
—dollar—is worth fifty cents in American money). 

On the Northern Plateau, that is in the States of 
Nuevo Leon, Coahuila, Chihuahua and Durango, 
they also receive from $0.75 to $2.00 a day in Mex- 
ican money. 

In the Northern Pacific States, that, is in Sonora, 
Sinaloa and in Lower California, they get from 
$1.00 to $2.00 in Mexican money a day. 

In the Central Pacific States, Nayarit, Jalisco, 
Colima, Michoacan the wages range from $0.75 to 
$1.00; for children from $0.25 to $0.40; for women 
from $0.30 to $0.40 in Mexican money a day. 

In the Southern Pacific States, 7. e., in Guerrero, 
Oaxaca, Chiapas, the farm hands receive $0.50 to 
$1.00 a day. During the coffee-gathering period 
the women receive as much as $1.00, and the chil- 
dren $0.50 a day in Mexican money. 

In the States of the Southern Plateau, i. e., in 
Guanajuato, Queretaro, Hidalgo, Mexico, in the 
Federal District, Morelos, Tlaxcala and Puebla 
farm laborers receive from $0.50 to $2.50 a day, 
Mexican currency. In the States of the Yucatan 


The Republic of Mextco 55 


Peninsula, Yucatan, Campeche and Quintana Roo 
they get as much as two and four pesos (Mexican 
currency) a day. 

The wages in the town districts, 7. e., those en- 
gaged in industrial enterprises, receive in the dif- 
ferent sections of the Republic about fifty per cent 
more than those that work in agriculture. The 
wages in the mining industries and in the oil fields 
are one hundred per cent higher than in the agricul- 
tural activities. 

In the port of Veracruz the laborers receive for 
a day’s work of eight hours from $7.50 to $9.00 
in Mexican money, and in the port of Tampico, 
where American money is mostly used, they get from 
$4.00 to $8.00 a day. 


Tue NATIONAL LANGUAGE 


Spanish is the national language of Mexico. Ney- 
ertheless, English is widely known in the country, 
especially by business men in the Northern States 
of the Republic. Of course, to do business in Mex- 
ico in an effective way, a good knowledge of the 
Spanish language is absolutely necessary. This is 
particularly true when it,comes to transact any kind 
of business with the officials of the different Govy- 
ernment Departments, in the Federal District as 
well as in the States. | 


CHAPTER II 


AGRICULTURE 


Agriculture is not very much developed in Mexico, 
although it has always constituted the principal 
occupation of the inhabitants of that country. It is 
claimed that nearly four million people in Mexico 
are devoted to agricultural industries. Modern 
methods are employed in some sections and on a 
number of properties, but on many of the large 
landed properties and on all the lands which are 
in the possession of the Indians, the oldest cultural 
methods are still in use. 

The large properties are ee worked by the 
owners themselves; most of the cultivated land is in 
the hands of tenants. 

Farmlands are leased on different conditions. The 
full rent is paid either in money at so much a year 
for every hectare, or in the form of a certain part 
of the income, usually from ten per cent to thirty per 
cent, and sometimes even fifty per cent of the in- 
come. In the latter case it is customary in some 
sections of the country for the owner of the land to 
provide the tenant with the necessary farm imple- 
ments, animals, such as horses and mules, and even 
with some cattle and also seeds: then, whatever the 
harvests yield, is equally divided between owner and 
renter. 

The highest authority in Mexico in matters of 


50 


The Republic of Mexico 57 


Agriculture is the ‘Ministry of Agriculture and 
Development,” headed by the “‘Secretario de Agri- 
cultura y Fomento.”’ 

In order to get a complete idea of the agricultural 
phase of the Mexican social economy, its present 
status and the inducements agriculture offers to out- 
siders for a profitable investment of capital, we give 
in the following pages a complete description of the 
nature of farming conducted in every section or 
State of the Federation. 


AGUASCALIENTES 


Crops.—Aguascalientes being located in the cen- 
tral plateau of Anahuac, at a little over twenty-one 
degrees of Northern latitude and a mean elevation 
of one thousand six hundred meters above sea level, 
its climate is temperate and suitable for the growing 
of corn, haricot beans, chile, wheat and barley. 

The average annual crops are as follows: 60,000 
tons of corn, 6,700 tons of beans, 5,000 tons of 
chile (chili), 340 tons of sweet potatoes, 1,600 tons 
of barley, 3,200 tons of wheat, 435 tons of Irish 
_ potatoes, and small quantities of sugar-cane, pea- 
nuts, chickpeas, onions, beetroot, etc. 

In consequence of this output which, in relation to 
the size of this member of the Federal Union with 
which we are dealing, may be considered fairly high, 
it produces more than it consumes and therefore 
sends away a part of its products, it being estimated 
that it exports more than one-third of the corn and 
the beans it raises and three-quarters of the wheat, 
which is shipped in the form of flour manufactured 
by the large “Douglas” flour mills, so named after 
their proprietor. 


58 The Republic of Mexico 


Chickpea or garavance, now little appreciated, 
peas and sugar-cane on a large scale could be intro- 
duced in the State with good prospects of success. 
The grape-vine could be cultivated in other parts of 
Aguascalientes, as at present it is confined to the 
Calvillo section, which does not materially differ 
from the rest of the State, as it may be presumed 
that a crop which does well in Calvillo, could be 
adopted in other parts which enjoy the same climate 
and possess lands which are of similar composition 
as regards their vegetable matter. 

Transportation.—The transportation lines which 
the State possesses for moving these crops are: the 
Ferrocarril Central (Central Railroad) which 
crosses the whole of Aguascalientes from South to 
North; the Aguascalientes to Tampico, via San Luis 
Potosi; the Chicalote branch line and that of Asien- 
tos y Tepezala to Rincon de Romos. So that we 
can consider there are abundant lines suitable for 
the transportation of the crops to any desired 
market, within the State or without. 

Horticulture and Orchards.—The State has 
numerous orchards which yield a large quantity of 
fruit. The following may be mentioned: peach, 
the mean annual crop of which is 160 tons; quince, 
190 tons; pear, 140 tons; “‘peron” (a kind of 
apple), 280 tons; grapes, 235 tons; figs, 90 tons; 
“tuna”? (prickly pear), 400 tons; ‘‘chabacano” (a 
kind of apricot), 75 tons; mulberry, 20 tons. The 
last mentioned is that of the mulberry tree, known 
in botany as “‘morus nigra.”’ The “morus latifolia” 
grows also very well in the State. The climate is 
suited for silkworm cultivation, another of the in- 
dustries which have a brilliant future as soon as 
business men make up their minds to establish it on 


The Republic of Mexico 50 


a large scale. The trials which have so far been 
made, have given very gratifying results, and al- 
ready the spinning and weaving factories of the 
State begin to make some use of the local product. 

The fruit grown in Aguascalientes would have an 
immediate market in the towns of the State, but a 
large part of it is sent away to Zacatecas, San Luis 
Potosi and to towns in the south of the State. 

Both horticulture and fruit culture could be en- 
gaged in to a much larger extent in this State. The 
grape-vine especially is worthy of mention as one of 
the crops which may be expected to increase in 
profitability and to extend widely throughout this 
small State, giving rise to wine-making and the ex- 
ploitation of its fruit product, as is the case in the 
States of Durango and Coahuila. The other varie- 
ties of fruit can also be improved and their cultiva- 
tion extended with prospects of good returns, as 
there are ready markets for them. 

Lands.—Although the State is small, it has large 
tracts of uncultivated land which should be tilled, 
as they consist of soil of good quality containing 
vegetable matter. To utilize the lands more fully, 
irrigation works are needed, to free the farmer from 
the effects of rain. Along the two rivers which water 
the State, the Aguascalientes and the Calvillo rivers, 
there are places at which dams could be constructed 
to regulate the supply of water to the fields. 

Land is not expensive in the State. Uncultivated 
lands, but adjoining high grade worked lands, can 
be secured at less than $20.00 Mexican currency 
per hectare (2.48 acres). The farmers usually 
plant corn for their own use (always irrigated 
crops) as well as wheat; but as far as corn on un- 
irrigated land is concerned, the owners always farm 


60 The Republic of Mexico 


out the latter on the share system (a medias) on the 
same conditions as obtained in the State of Durango 
and throughout almost the whole of the Republic. 
In the State of Aguascalientes there are no lands 
under the control of the Federal Government. 


BajA CALIFORNIA 


Agriculture is not a little neglected in the Terri- 
tory of Baja California, due to insufficient rains and 
the lack of irrigation. Nevertheless, in those sec- 
tions where conditions are less unfavorable, people 
cultivate sugar cane, Irish potatoes, wheat, cotton, 
coffee, tobacco, fruits, vegetables, the tinctorial 
plant of the “orchilla” and other products. 

Crops.—Cotton, cultivated especially in the Na- 
tional Valley (Valle Nacional) yields, on an average 
about 6,000 tons every year, but there will be a much 
larger output as soon as this plant receives better 
attention and care. ‘Tobacco yields about 180 tons; 
sugar-cane, 23,000 tons, of which 1,300 tons are 
turned into sugar, and another quantity into “pilon- 
cillo”” (unrefined sugar); Irish potatoes, 370 tons; 
‘‘cascalote,”” 980 tons; wheat, 2,300 tons; coffee, 75 
tons; ‘‘orchilla” (roccella tinctoria), which is em- 
ployed in the dyeing of silk and wool, due to the col- 
oring reaction of the eritric and recelic acids which 
it contains in the presence of ammonia. Further- 
more, corn, beans, common vetch, chickpeas and 
other articles are also grown, but in such small quan- 
tities that they do not even cover the local demand. 

All the cotton, the “‘cascalote’’ and other tannin- 
containing plants, such as the “‘divi-divi’ (caesal- 
pinia coriaria), large quantities of resin, especially 
that of the “palo de brea’’—pitch tree (circidus 


The Republic of Mexico OI 


unijuga) which contains seventy-five per cent of 
resin, are exported. 

As far as the introduction of new cultivations is 
concerned, it is above all necessary that sufficient 
water be supplied, in order not only to insure the 
life of the plants, but also to obtain a larger crop. 
Under such conditions it would be profitable to grow 
grape-vine on a large scale, since the very dry 
climate of the region would suit it to perfection, 
provided it receives sufficient moisture at the roots. 
The famous hemp-yielding plant, known as ‘‘hene- 
quen” (agave rigidia) could be cultivated to great 
advantage, since it is known that this plant thrives 
well under conditions prevailing in this territory. 

A well-planned irrigation system would allow the 
introduction of a number of other cultures. It 
seems that the best practical results in this respect 
would be obtained from cisterns or artesian wells. 

Transportation—vThe facilities for the trans- 
portation of the crops are essentially of the mari- 
time type, for the Inter-California railroad renders 
little service, almost exclusively on the border line of 
the United States. 

Horticulture and Orchards——The fruits grown 
in the Territory of Baja California yield the follow- 
ing average output per year: figs (ficus carica), 
250 tons; mango (mangifero indica), 600 tons; co- 
quito de aceite—small oil yielding cocoanut (atalea 
cohune), 100 tons; orange (citrus aurantium), 760 
tons; platano-plantain (musa paradisiaca), 300 
tons; dates (phoenix datilifera), 230 tons; sandia— 
watermelon (cucumis citrullus), 400 tons; toronja— 
grapefruit, (citrus decumana), 200 tons; lima-limes 
(citrus limetta), 45 tons; melon—melon (cucumis 
melo), 80 tons; grapes (vitis vinifera), 125 tons. 


62 The Republic of Mexico 


Nearly all these fruits are exported. Fruit-grow- 
ing would be one of the easiest sources of income, if 
the problem of irrigation were properly solved by 
means of a large number of artesian wells. The 
nearest and best market for everything produced 
would be the United States. 

The same drawback exists in the matter of horti- 
culture; the lands need irrigation, and after that is 
introduced the Territory will produce all it wants 
and have a good surplus for export. 

Lands.—Since only a very) small section of land 
is cultivated, we may safely state that the entire 
Territory is a vast uncultivated region. ‘The land 
tilled is only an infinitesimal part of that which 
could be exploited, provided, of course, as we have 
repeatedly said, that water be procured not only for 
the plants, but also for the inhabitants and the 
animals employed in agricultural activities. At pres- 
ent the cultivated land is found around the more 
thickly populated centers or towns, as La Paz, 
Todos Santos, Mexicali, Mulege, San Jose del Cabo, 
etc. There are extensive tracts of land which could 
be utilized, preferably for plants that require a very 
dry atmosphere, such as cotton, the grape-vine, 
sugar-cane, and all such plants as consume great 
quantities of water. Landowners sell their land at 
very low prices, since the hectare does not cost more 
than $15.00 ($7.50 in American money). 

The Federal Government is the owner of vast 
tracts of land in this Territory, in the Southern as 
well as in the Northern District, into which the 
Territory is divided for the more convenient admin- 
istration. The following lands can be leased from 
the Government: the lands that were comprised 
within the concession given to Mr. Adolfo Bulle for 


The Republic of Mexico 03 


the object of colonization, 7. ¢., 702,268 hectares; 
those included in the concession to Mr. Pablo Ma- 
cedo, also for the sake of colonization and which 
aggregate 2,488,335 hectares; the lands comprised 
within the concession made in favor of Messrs. 
Flores Hale & Co., 7. e., 1,496,455 hectares. These 
concessions had been solicited with the previous 
knowledge that such uncultivated areas of land really 
existed, and were declared null and void a few years 
ago. 


CAMPECHE 


Crops——The Mexican hemp known as “hene- 
quen”’ is the principal article grown in the State for 
exportation. Up to four or five years ago the crops 
of hemp in this State would yield as much as 60,000 
bales a year, each bale weighing 173 kilograms. 
But since then the exportation of the fiber has 
diminished considerably due to the low prices at 
which this article has been quoted on the American 
market, to which practically all is shipped. 

The articles grown, besides henequen or sisal fiber, 
are corn, beans and rice. As far as output is con- 
cerned corn constitutes at present the principal 
product of the State; after that come beans and 
finally rice. The rice is of a superior quality, but 
the difficulties of harvesting the grain in a country 
where labor is very scarce is the principal reason why 
its cultivation is not so extensive as it should be. 
The corn grown in this State is also of the finest 
quality. The grain, being small, floury, very hard 
and healthy, keeps well and is not affected by vermin. 
Six different kinds of corn are grown in this section 
of the country, one as excellent as the other. Young 


O4 The Republic of Mexico 


species of two or four months growing are planted 
at the same time of the year as a measure of pre- 
caution. The production of this grain satisfies the 
demands of the local market, and leaves a surplus 
for exportation to the neighboring State of Yucatan. 
Sometimes it is exported also to the Mexican port 
of Veracruz, whenever corn is scarce in that section 
of the country, causing a considerable raise in the 
prices. It is claimed that the excessive maritime 
freight is a serious obstacle to the increase of ex- 
portation of corn from Campeche to the other sec- 
tions of Mexico. Figures available up to the pub- 
lication of this book estimate the year’s production 
of corn at 80,000 hectoliters or probably more, be- 
cause the lack of interest in the production of the 
sisal fiber has caused the small farmers to plant 
corn instead of henequen. ‘The soil of Campeche 
produces also a very good class of tobacco, and there 
is no doubt that the cultivation of this article on a 
large scale would yield most excellent results. The 
planting of coffee trees has been tried in this State, 
and there seems to exist every reason for extending 
the cultivation of this tree. 

Transportation—For transportation the State 
has the services of some railroad lines, but in the 
main it depends upon the maritime routes along the 
coast and on ordinary cart roads in the interior of 
the State. These roads, especially during the rainy 
season, are not always in the best of condition, but 
the State Government seems to be giving its fullest 
attention to this very serious matter, for the pro- 
motion of agricultural enterprises in the State. 

Horticulture and Orchards.—The cultivation of 
garden vegetables is done to some extent; an ex- 
cellent Irish potato is produced. Between the rows 


The Republic of Mexico 05 


of corn, sweet potatoes, pumpkins and “‘jicamas” (a 
vegetable similar to the pumpkin) are nearly always 
planted in sufficient quantities to cover the needs of 
the State. By the aid of proper irrigation a number 
of parks and gardens have been laid out all around 
the town of Campeche, where all kinds of vege- 
tables are grown. Especially do they produce a fine 
variety of tomatoes which grow in very large quan- 
tities, but most of which perish, because nobody 
thinks of packing and shipping them to a market. 
The Indians usually cultivate their own land, on 
which they grow chile, tomatoes, peanuts and several 
varieties of melons. There is here a kind of melon 
called “valenciano,”’ which as to flavor and taste is 
one of the most delicious fruits known anywhere. 
Campeche is doubtless a privileged country for the 
growing of fruit; not only do all those fruits grow 
here which are peculiar to the climate, but they are 
also all of an especially delicious aroma and delicate 
taste. A variety of oranges called “china,” as well 
as the lemon that grows in this section, are bound 
to become important articles for the export trade, 
as soon as the people understand the commercial 
importance of cultivating these two fruits on a large 
scale. Mangos of all known varieties grow in this 
State, from the very small one known in this part 
of the country under the name of “‘montecristo,”’ to 
the large mango, called “‘manila’’; all these mangos 
grow in very large quantities and should certainly 
constitute an article of exportation. Among other 
delicious fruits that grow in this region are the red 
mammee, the sapodilla-plum, the common sapota, 
and the black sapota, called “tauch” in the Indian 
language, the ‘‘guanabano,” a kind of anona, the 
“saramuyo,” the anona. There is also a great va- 


06 The Republic of Mexico 


riety of alligator pears, all of most excellent taste; 
then there are the ‘“‘caimito” and the “nance,” a 
fruit which, preserved in alcohol, would probably be 
a good article for the export trade. ‘There is no 
doubt that the scientific cultivation of fruit in this 
State would be an excellent industry, provided 
proper irrigation were introduced to avoid failures 
which the extreme dryness of the soil might cause. 
But this very dryness, remedied by the rainy season 
and proper irrigation, is precisely what gives the 
fruit of these regions its peculiarly delicious taste 
and such an agreeable aroma. The cultivation of 
fruit trees requires no preparation of the soil in this 
section of the Republic; all the work consists in 
planting the little tree, watering it during the dry 
season, and keeping it free from adventitious herbs 
or growths during the rainy season. 

Lands.—Very little of the land which belongs to 
this State is cultivated. It may be safely said that 
only the section along the coast is inhabited, the 
vast extent of the interior of the State being entirely 
uninhabited and uncultivated. Any amount of land 
can be had in this State, the principal owner of 
which is the Federal Government. The extent of 
free land in the Districts of Los Chenes, Champoton 
and El Carmen is enormous. The level part of all 
these lands can be planted during the rainy season; 
not so the mountainous sections. ‘The valleys are 
generally swampy, but a good system of drainage 
would convert them into splendid agricultural land. 
High land of rich soil with deep aquiferous layers 
is found in the District of Los Chenes; low land, 
poor but with sufficient water supply is in the Dis- 
trict of Hecelchakan. All the land around the 
capital of the State is good, having plenty of water 


The Republic of Mextco 607 


near the surface; but far better land with better 
water supply is that found in the District of Cham- 
poton. In the District of El Carmen the land is 
composed of pure vegetable matter, and the natural 
water system there is as extensive as in the neigh- 
boring State of Tabasco. ‘The special conditions of 
the different tracts of land indicate sufficiently what 
should be planted. Thus, for example, in the Dis- 
trict of Hecelchakan and partly in the District of the 
Capital the cultivation of the sisal fiber is to be pre- 
ferred. Splendid sugar-cane grows everywhere in 
the State, but the frequent droughts shorten its life, 
which as a rule does not exceed seven years. ‘The 
establishment of a system of irrigation would cer- 
tainly increase the vitality as well as the production 
or quality of the plantations. 

It is customary among the important landowners 
to rent out any portion of land for one or two years 
at ten per cent of the production of the cultivated 
area. Federal laws now ruling do not permit for- 
eigners to obtain land within a certain distance from 
the seashore, or from the borders of the Republic 
with a neighboring country. 


CHIAPAS 


Crops.—Agriculture is the field in which the State 
of Chiapas has the greatest natural advantages. 
Its soil is suited to every kind of cultivation, and 
legends tells us that the primitive nomads found corn 
here in its wild state. Being a State as well watered 
as Tabasco, with permanent and abundant streams 
running through its territories, all the crops grow 
well, and one can obtain here three and even four 
crops a year. The products which are chiefly grown 


OS The Republic of Mexico 


in this locality are the following: rice of excellent 
quality and which is mostly shipped to towns of 
Central America and to various other sections of 
Mexico; of this 3,000 tons are obtained on an aver- 
age every year, it being interesting to note that it is 
not intensively grown, nor is all of the product uti- 
lized to the fullest extent; cacao (theobroma cacao), 
which in addition to chocolate, with which sugar and 
vanilla, etc., is mixed, produces cocoa-butter, pow- 
der, wine, fiber, etc. In the Soconusco section which 
is famous for this valuable product, more than a 
thousand tons a year are obtained, almost all going 
to other parts of the Republic or to foreign coun- 
tries. Coffee (coffea excelsa) produces 12,000 tons 
a year, and is exported both to the interior of the 
Republic of Guatemala and Salvador. Sugar-cane 
gives excellent returns, and although it has been 
much neglected during recent years, it produces more 
than 240,000 tons, without counting that which is 
made into sugar in the sugar mills, and that which 
is used in making “‘panocha”’ (a coarse kind of 
sugar) and molasses. Sugar amounts to about 1,000 
tons, panocha yields about 5,600 tons, and molasses 
3,000 tons a year, which is used partly for domestic 
consumption and partly for export. Corn is an ar- 
ticle which is cultivated extensively, and Chiapas is 
one of the States which produces the largest quan- 
tity of this article, its crops reaching on an average 
345,600 tons a year, about 250,000 tons or over 
being shipped to countries of Central America and 
some to the States of Campeche and Yucatan. 
Beans yield 20,000 tons a year, mostly consumed in 
the domestic market. Tobacco is another crop 
suited to the rich and well-watered lands of Chiapas, 
and although so far it has not been cultivated with 


The Republic of Mexico 09 


the proper care, it produces some I,300 tons a year, 
part of which is turned into a finished product in the 
State and the rest is shipped to the large factories 
in the center of the Republic. Rubber (castilloa 
elastica and ficus elasticus) is extremely abundant 
in Chiapas, but it is very little used industrially, only 
about 200 tons being gathered annually, which is a 
ridiculously small amount, considering the immense 
number of rubber trees which grow in the State. 
There are “haciendas’”’ (landed estates), such as 
the Hular del Suchiate, where the rubber-tree is 
regarded as a parasitic growth, but this is because 
it is not made use of in the manner which the large 
number of trees and the utility of preserving the 
forests would warrant. We must draw attention to 
the fact that the figures given are only those of the 
quantities which are turned to account. ‘The pro- 
ductive capacity of Chiapas is unlimited and could 
easily be increased tenfold without exhausting the 
land. Every kind of productive crop may be intro- 
duced. “Pochote,’”’ or cotton grown on large trees, 
which form whole forests here, is not utilized in any 
manner whatever, the entire natural product being 
lost. It may be truthfully said that Chiapas would 
allow of any kind of cultivation desired, as it has 
very fertile soil, containing a large amount of 
humus, and as it is well watered by the rains and the 
large rivers of the State, it is only necessary to con- 
struct small irrigation canals to direct the water to 
the desired spots. Chiapas is, we repeat, a splendid 
field for enterprising men who desire to see their 
efforts crowned with the most gratifying success. 
Any effort in Chiapas will be rewarded, with interest. 

Transportation.—For transporting the crops the 
following lines are available at present: The Pan- 


70 The Republic of Mexico 


American Railroad which, starting from San Jer- 
onimo in the State of Oaxaca, crosses Chiapas to 
Mariscal, the terminal point of the road on the banks 
of the river Suchiate, and whence the line will be con- 
tinued through the Republic of Guatemala and the 
other Central American countries; the branch line 
to Puerto Bonito; a branch to Puerto Arista, start- 
ing from the town of Tonola. Furthermore, the 
State has navigable rivers, such as the Grijalva 
which is navigable for more than a hundred kilo- 
meters within Chiapas territory, and the Usuma- 
cinta river navigable for about 140 kilometers. 
Many of the tributaries of these rivers also are nav- 
igable for launches, small steamers, etc. Lines for 
rapid traffic will have to run across the precipitous 
mountain range called ‘‘Sierra de Huietepec,” one of 
the most difficult to traverse, located in the region 
which is washed by the waters of the Pacific. 
Horticulture and Orchards.—It seems almost un- 
necessary to state that the State of Chiapas produces 
all kinds of fruits; not only those of tropical clim- 
ates, but also fruits of other climates, for which 
-admirably suited conditions exist. Notwithstand- 
ing, however, the astounding quantity of fruit which 
can be obtained by simply stretching out the hand, 
the following average annual quantities constitute all 
that is being turned to account: aguacate (alligator- 
pear), 2,300 tons; peaches, 870 tons; guava, 6,700 
tons; jobo (tree of the terebinth family), 1,300 tons; 
‘Sicama”’ (a tuber), 1,500 tons; limes, 3,000 tons; 
apples, 1,000 tons; ‘‘nanche,’’ 2,300 tons; pineapples, 
1,600 tons ;Oranges, 4,500 tons; bananas, 4,800 tons; 
and an endless variety of other fruits. The figures 
given refer to exports exclusively, as local require- 
ments cannot be estimated; the State of Chiapas 





4 
| 
: 


The Republic of Mexico AE 


produces many times these quantities. Fruit culture 
therefore is solely a question of using what there is, 
without bothering about increasing the yield. The 
same thing may be said of horticulture, the products 
of which have no outlet at present, owing to the 
lack of shipping facilities that would make it possible 
to get the products to market at the proper time. 

Lands.—Throughout the State there are large 
areas of land which, though not unproductive, are 
not utilized for the production of articles of prime 
necessity, and are therefore useless, as the natural 
products are allowed to go to waste. The holders 
of landed estates seldom sell their lands, though 
they will rent them or farm them out on a partner- 
ship basis. For what land there is to be purchased, 
the price is ridiculously low; less than 50 pesos 
(25 dollars) the hectare, including the timber. 

In Chiapas there is a considerable area of na- 
tional Jand, that is land which can be obtained from 
the Federal Government. Among these land re- 
serves may be mentioned Cerro de Piedra, 3,000 
hectares; La Trinidad de Chimalapa, 11,000 hec- 
tares, and other lands which in all would probably 
exceed 300,000 hectares, which the Federal Gov- 
ernment could sell or rent out. 


CHIHUAHUA 


Crops.—Taking into consideration the extent of 
this State, it produces little of agricultural products. 
Cotton yields ridiculously small crops, although the 
conditions for its cultivation are in this State the 
same that prevail in the States of Durango and 
Coahuila. In matters of agriculture the people of 
Chihuahua give preferential attention to the raising 


We The Republic of Mexico 


of sugar-cane, peanuts, corn, beans, barley, wheat, 
tobacco, some vegetables and fruits. One of the 
principal things that hinder agricultural development 
in the State is the scarcity of labor, for this is a very 
thinly populated State, considering the number of 
inhabitants per unit area. Under the circumstances 
no progress can be expected in the development of 
agriculture. 

Cotton (gossypium herbaceum) yields about 600 
tons every year, all of which is used by the weaving 
and spinning industry of the State itself. Peanuts 
yield 800 tons, mostly consumed in the State. They 
are toasted, but not as yet utilized for the making 
of oil, which, if engaged in would yield very good 
results. “he sugar-cane produces about 2,000 tons 
a year, not counting the cane used for the making 
of “piloncillo” (crude sugar), amounting to 400 
tons; and molasses, 100 tons; corn (zea mays pre- 
cox, preferably, and zea mays turgida) yields 160,- 
000 tons; beans (phasealus vulgaris), 15,000 tons; 
potatoes, 5,800 tons; “‘cascalotte,’’ 230 tons; wheat, 
34,500 tons; barley, 140 tons; cabbage (brassica 
oleracea), 290 tons; chile (capsicum annum and the 
variety known as capsicum cordiforme and to some 
extent the variety called ‘“‘tornachile,’’ (capsicum 
longum), 500 tons. 

Of these crops the State exports about 26,000 
tons of wheat, generally in the form of flour; 38,000 
tons of corn; 2,700 tons of Irish potatoes; 300 tons 
of peanuts; 200 tons of tobacco; 4,000 tons of 
beans; 230 tons of lentils (lens aesculenta) and 
small quantities of the other products. 

Chihuahua is one of the regions most suitable for 
agricultural enterprises, and it will certainly pro- 
gress rapidly in that direction as soon as the irriga- 


The Republic of Mexico 43 


tion works, which have already been started on a 
gigantic scale on the river Conchos and in various 
other parts are finished. 

The cultivation of common rye, and chickpeas, 
must be introduced and that of cotton can be en- 
larged to an unlimited extent, for the section of the 
Bolson region which belongs to this State, is very 
extensive and can be irrigated, partly at least, by 
means of irrigation works similar to those that have 
been planned for the Chihuahua river. ‘The cul- 
tivation of sesame could also be introduced. Cotton 
should be cultivated preferably in the eastern section 
of the State, and the other articles in the central 
part of it. 

Horticulture and Orchards.—Comparatively 
little fruit is produced in this State. The average 
yearly crops are estimated as follows: “chavacano”’ 
(prunus armeniaca), 230 tons; peaches, 7,600 tons; 
figs, 340 tons; apples, 500 tons; melons, 700 tons; 
quinces (sydonia vulgaris), 1,200 tons; oranges, 
1,600 tons; nuts (juglans regia), 300 tons; pears, 
3,000 tons; “‘tejocote’ (fruit resembling a sloe— 
crataegus mexicana), 400 tons; watermelons, 4,000 
tons; grapes, 500 tons. 

Small quantities of this fruit are exported to the 
United States. 

Fruit culture could be profitably enlarged in the 
State of Chihuahua, in the proximity of the rivers. 
The same applies to horticulture, for the simple 
reason that a splendid market, the United States, is 
nearby. 

Lands.—Chihuahua is the State that has the 
largest tracts of uncultivated lands. Although very 
rich and entirely fit for intensive cultivation, these 
lands up to now have been utilized only for cattle- 


74 The Republic of Mexico 


raising; but even this industry, although very ex- 
tensive, cannot make use of all the land yielding 
pasturage. There are stock-farms in this State 
larger in area than one of the middle-sized States of 
the Republic, and the only portions of this vast area 
that are cultivated are those around the settlements 
of the farms. The lands of the central valleys are 
suitable for the cultivation of all those articles which 
are consumed in the country; the lands of the Tara- 
humara valleys are good for the cultivation of the 
plants peculiar to the torrid zone, while those of 
the Bolson region, if systematically irrigated, can 
be utilized for the cultivation of cotton, sugar-cane, 
vine, watermelons, melons, etc. 

Among the farmers of the State there is little de- 
mand for land, although a movement has been 
started by the Government to induce the farmers 
to become the owners of the land they cultivate. 
The proprietors of landed estates sell land at low 
prices, in fact at less than twenty pesos the hectare, 
i. e., ten dollars in American money. Land tenure 
exists on the basis of partnership. 

The Federal Government possesses large tracts of 
land in the State of Chihuahua; in the region known 
as the “Picacho”’ it can dispose of 8,200 hectares; 
near Ciudad Juarez of 35,000 hectares; in Satia- 
pachic of 4,000 hectares. ‘The Government, further- 
more, has canceled the concession given to Mr. Anto- 
nia Penafiel and Mr. Inigo Noriega for the coloni- 
zation of 300,000 hectares in this State; all these 
lands can be had from the Federal Government. 


COAHUILA 


Crops.—The wealth of this State, private as well 
as public, is based on agriculture. Cotton is pro- 


“ial 


——— oe: 


The Republic of Mexico 75 


duced here in about the same quantity as in the State 
of Durango. ‘The large cotton plantations in both 
States follow the same methods, use the same sources 
for the irrigation of their lands, that is the inunda- 
tions of the Nazas river, which occur at certain 
regular intervals as those of the Nile. The great 
cotton planters have to regularize the course of the 
Nazas river by means of damming it, in order to 
protect themselves against the caprices of Nature. 
There are many cotton plantations in the State, the 
principal of which are those of Hornos, which is 
immense, Peru, La Perla, Santa Teresa, Vega Larga 
and others. ‘There are also plantations which spe- 
cialize in growing sugar-cane, others that grow 
chiefly corn, and there are large live-stock farms. 
Of the others, we may mention the Hermanas plan- 
tation, which cultivates sugar-cane and corn; the 
San Carlos plantation, which grows corn; the Guad- 
alupe plantation, which raises wheat and corn; 
Moral, raising corn; Alamo and Encinas, raising 
corn; Cienega de Flores, growing wheat; Colon, El 
Aguila, El Marques, La Cruz, which specialize in 
corn. The farms which are situated around the 
town of Cuatro Cienegas cultivate chiefly grape-vine. 
Thus the cultivations specialized in by the farmers 
of Coahuila are: cotton, of which on an average 
23,000 tons are obtained every year; sugar-cane, 
which gives 6,000 tons; rice, 480 tons; barley, 5,400 
tons; beans, 5,800 tons; chickpeas, 570 tons; water- 
melon, 1,700 tons; corn, 56,000 tons; wheat, 28,000 
tons; and considerable quantities of other vegetables, 
such as beet-rave, calabash, onions, tomatoes, etc. 
These crops represent more than the State con- 
sumes; as a result, one-third of the output is shipped 
out of the State, with the exception of cotton, almost 


70 The Republic of Mexico 


all of which is exported to the different factories of 
the country, for the few factories in the State can 
use no more than 2,000 tons. Corn and beans are 
also an exception, for scarcely any of these vege- 
tables are exported; on the contrary, the State must 
even import both articles from the States of San 
Luis Potosi and Durango. 

The melon crop is very abundant, not less than 
3,200 tons a year. The watermelon is consumed in 
the warmer sections of the State, 7. e., Torreon, San 
Pedro, Monclava, Piedras Negras and other places; 
but quantities are sent also to the cities of Mon- 
terrey, Tampico, Laredo, Ciudad Victoria and 
others. | 

One of the cultures that could be advantageously 
introduced in the State, is that of the white-mul- 
berry tree (morus latifolia), especially in the region 
of Torreon and Parras, along the Aguanaval river. 
The castor-oil plant (ricinus communis) could also 
be easily acclimated in this region and would yield 
large crops. 

Transportation._In order to move its crops the 
State of Coahuila possesses the best railroad system, 
having about 3,000 kilometers of railway, the larg- 
est part of which is the International Railroad from 
Piedras Negras to Torreon and Durango; then 
there are the branch lines of this road; the Coahuila 
and Pacific line with several other branch lines, and 
several other lines. ‘Thus the crops can be easily 
taken to the different sections of the State and the 
Republic and to foreign countries. 

Horticulture and Orchards.—The average yearly 
fruit crops in the State of Coahuila are the follow- 
ing: quinces, 980 tons; peaches, 640 tons; pome- 
granates, 180 tons; figs, 830 tons; apples, 360 tons; 


The Republic of Mexico rf 


peron (kind of apricot of a specially fine kind), 700 
tons; pears, 190 tons; grapes, 2,600 tons. 

Most of this fruit is consumed in the State, some 
of it is sent out, especially to the splendid market 
of Monterrey and the towns in the vicinity of Ta- 
maulipas, and even to the United States. Most of 
the grape crop is utilized in the State by the well- 
known and flourishing wine industry, as for example 
the wine presses of Mr. Ernesto Maderos in Parras, 
of Mr. F. Arredondo Cepeda in Cuatra Cienegas, 
where there are other concerns which make brandies 
of the best quality. 

Horticulture must be better developed in order to 
fill the existing demand in the State itself, and to 
supply other markets, of the State of Nuevo Leon 
especially. Fruit-growing also needs special atten- 
tion; it certainly would have a splendid market in 
the State of Nuevo Leon and the United States. 

Lands.—The State of Coahuila is remarkably 
large, but not all of its land is utilized for cultiva- 
tion. One-fifth of its area, if not less, is now used, 
not because the untilled lands are unfit for cultiva- 
tion. On the contrary, all the land is of excellent 
quality, and that of the Bolson section is equal or 
even superior to the cultivated areas. Excavations 
made in the remotest parts of the desert have shown 
that land to contain vegetable mold to the depth of 
more than ninety meters, and this seems to 
strengthen the belief that Bolson represents the 
valley or bed of a lake which during centuries had 
been the recipient of the slime of the rivers Nazas 
and Aguanaval, the remains of which are the 
lagoons of Parras and Mayran, into which still flow 
the few currents which it has not been possible to 
dam for the irrigation of the cotton fields. Thus 


78 The Republic of Mexico 


water reaches the latter only during the heavy rains 
and the subsequent inundations of the rivers. All 
the land adjacent to that which is now cultivated 
deserves attention, and it surely will receive it as 
soon as the dam is constructed on the Nazas river 
in the Fernandez canyon, in the State of Durango, 
for the purpose of which twenty-five million pesos 
have been appropriated, the sum including indemni- 
ties to the owners of rural or urban properties which 
may be damaged by the backwater. We should 
also recommend derivation works on some of the 
rivers, such as the Conchos and the Florido which 
flow into the Bravo without sufficiently benefiting 
the adjacent lands. Any amount of money spent 
for such a project would be redeemed a hundred- 
fold by the gaining of immense tracts of land espe- 
cially suited for the planting of cotton, grape-vine 
and sugar-cane which would thrive splendidly in this 
climate. 

The system of land tenure in this State is the same 
which is in use all over Mexico: the right of exclu- 
sive ownership of all products which yield a great 
deal for the consideration of a certain rental; of 
course half and half ownership in the case of corn 
and beans grown during the wet season, for the irri- 
gation is controlled by the owner of the land. In 
the cotton belt of the lagoon a section of land for 
the cultivation of cotton is worth from 70,000 to 
100,000 pesos, and the annual cultivation costs 
between 20,000 and 25,000 pesos. In other sec- 
tions of the State it is not difficult to buy land, 
especially in those parts where cultivation is not so 
very easy; here the prices are very low. The landed 
estates of the Bolson are enormous, and constitute 
the largest in the country, scarcely surpassed 


The Republic of Mexico 70 


even by those of the Terrazas family in the State 
of Chihuahua, and possibly by one or two in the 
Republic. 

It is precisely the circumstance that the estates 
in Coahuila are very large and that they are still 
managed according to methods in use since the con- 
quest of the territory by the Spaniards, that gives 
rise to the belief that there are many surplus lands 
which, after the real boundaries have been fixed, will 
be declared national property that can be had from 
the Federal Government. It is not quite certain 
whether there are other national or federal lands 
in the State of Coahuila, although it is probable 
that there are none, especially in those sections where 
facilities for agriculture exist. 


CoOLIMA 


Crops.—The agricultural products to which the 
people of Colima give most of their attention are: 
sugar-cane, coffee, cocoa, rice, sweet potatoes, corn, 
beans, tropical fruits, etc. 

Sugar-cane yields on an average about 23,000 tons 
every year, of which 2,400 tons are turned into 
sugar, 475 tons into crude sugar and 1,800 tons into 
molasses ;this means that Colima produces less sugar- 
cane than the State of Morelos which is somewhat 
smaller than Colima, the conditions of both States 
being about the same. 

The present production of coffee is 400 tons; it 
is of very good quality, although not valued as 
highly as the coffee from the Uruapan district which 
is not far from Colima. “Cascalote’’ gives about 
300 tons. This is a plant the fruits of which con- 
tain thirty per cent of tannin, and for this reason it 


SO The Republic of Mexico 


is of great industrial value. Sweet potatoes (ipo- 
moea batatas) produces about 680 tons; corn, 
95,000 tons; beans, 6,000 tons; onions, 200 tons; 
tomatoes (licopersicum aescultentum), 300 tons; the 
green variety of tomato (physalis peruviana), 100 
tons; lentils, 150 tons; cucumbers (cucumis sativus), 
80 tons; carrots (daucus carotta), 50 tons; rice 
(oryza sativa) produces 2,800 tons. 
Of these crops more than half is shipped into the 
interior of the Republic or to foreign countries. 
There are many other articles which could be 
grown in this State; sesame, so well attended to in 
the States of Guerrero, Michoacan and Jalisco, 
would bring wonderful results in the State of Co- 
lima; cotton, the castor-oil plant, the ramie fiber 
and other plants would do equally well. 
Transportation—For the moving of its crops 
the State has the services of the railroad from 
Guadalajara to Manzanillo and of the steamships 
(coastwise vessels as well as ocean liners) that 
touch at Mexican ports in the Pacific. 
Horticulture and Orchards.—All tropical fruits 
grow in this territory: oranges, of which about 400 
tons are harvested every year; guavas, which yield 
about 200 tons; red plums (spondias purpurea), 
with an average yearly crop of 100 tons; yellow 
plums (spondias lutea), with an average yearly out- 
put of about 80 tons; yellow sapote, generally called 
‘‘zapote borracho” (lucuma salicifolia), 50 tons; 
purple plantain (musa rosacea), 100 tons; limes 
(citrus limetta), 60 tons; “‘chicozapote’’ (achras 
sapote), 75 tons; coconuts, 1,400 tons; “‘pitahaya”’ 
—fruit from the cactus-tree (cereus tricostatus), 
200 tons; watermelons, 80 tons; etc., etc. All these 
quantities must be understood to represent the quan- 


The Republic of Mextco ST 


tities that are exported from the State, mostly to 
foreign countries. 

There is scarcely any reason why the growing of 
fruit should be extended in this State, since not even 
that which is now harvested, is properly exploited 
for commercial purposes. A's to horticulture we 
must say that, since the lands in the State are excel- 
lent for the purpose, a great deal more could be 
gained from them than is the case now, especially 
since there is a sure market for all the vegetables 
that could be produced. 

Lands.—There are in the State, particularly in 
the northern and eastern sections, great tracts of 
uncultivated lands, which are now occupied by for- 
ests but which could be devoted to more lucrative 
purposes. As to the most appropriate articles to be 
planted, there is no need to repeat them, since 
we have already clearly explained what the State 
yields in the agricultural field. A more extensive 
cultivation of the land would, nevertheless, require 
irrigation works on the Armeria river which 
crosses the central part of the State as well as on the 
Cohuayana and other rivers. Such irrigation works 
would make especially profitable the planting of rice, 
sugar-cane, cotton and tobacco. It would also be 
good to extend the breadfruit trees (artocarpus 
incisa), since its fruits would add a great deal to 
the supply of foodstuffs for the people of the 
State. 

The prices at which lands are sold vary greatly, 
ranging from 75 to 100 pesos per hectare. It is 
customary among the landowners to lease out their 
lands for a definite length of time. 

The Mexican Federation has no lands in this 
State it could dispose of, unless careful demarcation 


2 The Republic of Mexico 


were carried on which might show some surplus 
lands of small area. 


DistRITO FEDERAL (FEDERAL DISTRICT) 


Crops.—Although the Federal District, in view 
of its small size cannot be called a purely agricul- 
tural district, its lands produce very good crops, 
the most extensive of which is that of alfalfa but 
at the same time the growing of corn, wheat and 
other cereals is not neglected. The soil of the Fed- 
eral District is extremely fertile, and has the ad- 
vantage of abundant rain as well as irrigation facil- 
ities from the numerous spring-waters. ‘The articles 
planted here are: corn, which produces a mean an- 
nual crop of 30,000 tons; beans, 700 tons; wheat, 
7,000 tons; chile, 1,600 tons; barley, 5,000 tons; 
celery, 150 tons; beets, 240 tons; “haba” (the large 
edible bean from the vicia faba), 500 tons; lettuce, 
1,800 tons; cabbage, 1,400 tons; carrots, 350 tons; 
tomatoes (the green kind), 3,000 tons; turnips, 
1,200 tons; tomatoes (the red kind), 1,600 tons; 
garlic, 130 tons; calabash, 2,000 tons, and other 
varieties of plants, especially of the vegetable class. 

One of the most abundant products of the Fed-- 
eral District and of which it consumes also large 
quantities supplied by the other States, is the “pul- 
que,”’ i. e., the fermented juice of the maguey plant, 
the annual output of which is calculated to be more 
than 100,000 tons. 

The foregoing data clearly show that there is a 
much higher demand for all of these articles in the 
Federal District, wherein lies the City of Mexico, 
than is supplied by local production, consequently 
it has to import very considerable quantities of all 


The Republic of Mexico 83 


of them from the other States of the Republic and 
even from foreign countries. 

Horticulture and Orchards.—A variety of fruits 
is produced in the orchards of the towns of San 
Angel, Tlalpam, Mixcoac, Coyoacan, Xochimilco; 
the average yearly crops can be figured as follows: 
pears, 300 tons; “tejocote’”’ (a fruit resembling a 
sloe), 230 tons; figs, 80 tons; peaches, 40 tons, and 
other fruits in smaller quantities. In this regard 
the Federal District is also dependent upon other 
sections of the country, as Cuernavaca, Queretaro, 
etc. 

Transportation—The principal means of trans- 
portation for the moving of its agricultural products 
in the Federal District are the electric trains, which 
connect the City of Mexico with most of the towns 
of the District; the products from Xochimilco, Ix- 
tacalapa, Ixtacalco, Santa Anita, Nativitas, Tul- 
yehualco come by the Canal Nacional (National 
Canal) in enormous canoes, called “tragineras.”’ 
Some points of the Federal District are served by 
the railroad lines which run towards Cuernavaca, 
Tlanepantla and the north of Guadalupe Hidalgo; 
all these places furnish foodstuffs to the Federal 
District. 

Lands.—Although it might be supposed that, in 
view of the population of the Federal District, the 
people would devote themselves to the intensive 
exploitation of the land, as is generally the case in 
the neighborhood of large cities, there are large 
areas of untilled land in the District, where every 
inch should be cultivated, since the soil is very fertile, 
the rains are regular and abundant, and where, if 
necessary, it would be easy to establish irrigation 
works by means of chain wells or norias which 


S4 The Republic of Mexico 


supply water abundantly and never need to be deeper 


than four meters. Excellent fruit crops could be 
obtained from large tracts of land in several sec- 
tions of the District which at present remain unex- 
ploited. Exactly the same applies to the growing 
of vegetables; there is enough free land that can 
be devoted to this lucrative industry, as, for instance 
the land gained from draining of the Texcoco lake, 
located along the road from Mexico City to Xochi- 
milco on both sides. Furthermore, there are lands 
that are not utilized at present in the southern 
region of the District, in Tlalpam as well as in 
Xochimilco and Milpa Alta, where only those lands 
are cultivated which offer more facilities and the 
best chances of success for the farmer. 

The owners of land in the neighborhood of the 
metropolis are trying to lay out their properties 
for building purposes; such land is offered at dif- 
ferent prices per square meter. Ranches are sold 
only in exceptional cases at prices varying according 
to their proximity to the city, the means of com- 
munication available and the fertility of the soil. 
The Federal Government has no national lands in 
this District. 


DURANGO 


C'rops.—The crops to which the farmers of this 
State give preference are: cotton and grape-vine in 
the Laguna section; corn, sugar-cane, watermelon, 
melon and fruit in the upper section of the Nazas 
river; corn (especially the non-irrigated species) ; 
beans, wheat, chile, in the rest of the State. The 
annual crops are estimated at: 22,000 tons of cot- 
ton; 130,000 tons of corn, 10,000 tons of haricot 
beans, 1,500 tons of peanuts, 5,000 tons of sugar- 


oe a a 


The Republic of Mexico 85 


cane, 400 tons of sweet potatoes, 12,000 tons of 
wheat, 13,000 tons of chile, 300 tons of onions, 600 
tons of potatoes, 160 tons of squashes, 240 tons of 
watermelon, 80 tons of tobacco and 780 tons of 
“panocha”’ (crude form of sugar). 

On an average, about two thousand tons of cot- 
ton probably remain in the State to supply the re- 
quirements of the local factories, and the remainder 
is sent out to the manufacturing centers of the 
country, as Puebla, Tlaxcala, Veracruz, and the 
Federal District; the corn and haricot beans are 
mostly consumed in the State, the balance being sent 
to Torreon, Monterrey and Sombrerete; the re- 
maining products are partly consumed in the region, 
and the rest shipped to other markets of the Re- 
public. Grapes are partly shipped out of the 
Republic. , 

If irrigation works were constructed, the cultiva- 
tion of wheat and other cereals could be engaged in 
on a larger scale, especially the growing of chickpeas 
or garavance, which at present yields only about 50 
tons. The most suitable lands for the growing of 
wheat are the plains of Cuencame and San Juan de 
Guadalupe, and the banks of the rivers Tunal, 
Palomas, Suchil, Poanas, the Nazas and its tribu- 
taries. Henequen, or sisal, can be acclimatized in the 
eastern and northeastern sections. ‘The ‘“‘guayule”’ 
(parthenium argentatum), a_ rubber - producing 
shrub, ought to be especially cultivated and gath- 
ered in such a manner as not to exterminate the 
plant, as is now likely to happen, owing to the prac- 
tice of pulling it out by the roots which contain a 
larger quantity of rubber than the rest of the plant. 
The “higuerilla” plant (ricinus communis) might 
be cultivated to advantage, as a splendid non-freez- 


SO The Republic of Mexico 


able oil is obtained from same, which makes it very 
valuable to aviators. 

Transportation.—The products of the State are 
distributed by means of various railway lines, a few 
highroads and bridle paths, of which we will speak 
in the chapter on Roads. 

Horticulture and Orchards.—Fruit trees yield 
good results, and, if cultivated with greater care and 
according to more scientific methods, would give 
better crops and well repay the labor expended. 
Grapes are grown in the region of Ciudad Lerdo 
and in the Bolson section, especially in the Peri- 
metro Lavin, and are exported in cases from one to 
five kilograms in weight, or used for the manufacture 
of wines which are exported. The annual crop is 
estimated at about 235 tons; oranges yield 1,600 
tons and are chiefly sent away; quinces amount to 
300 tons; they are consumed at home and also are 
exported in jelly form in little boxes; guavas yield 
120 tons; the chabacano (a kind of apricot) yields 
150 tons; peaches, 600 tons; figs, 300 tons; the 
peron (a variety of apple), 200 tons; the pear, 110 
tons; the mango, 800 tons; bananas, 320 tons. Some 
of this fruit is consumed in the State, but the larger 
part is shipped, the principal market being Torreon 
and Mazatlan. 

Horticulture is very little developed in the State, 
but it could be increased in the same manner as the 
fruit-growing industry, and could count upon the 
markets of Zacatecas which are located upon the 
railroad to Canitas. 

Lands.—There are enormous tracts of land con- 
taining vegetable detritus (humus) which are still 
uncultivated. The reason for this is the heavy cost 
of irrigation works necessary to make them cultiv- 


The Republic of Mexico oF 


able; once this problem is solved there will be an 
opportunity to employ five times the number of men 
at present engaged in agricultural pursuits. The 
following public utility works are contemplated for 
the above purpose: a dam on the river Nazas, in the 
Fernandez Canyon, to the west of Ciudad Lerdo, 
which requires an expenditure of $25,000,000 
(pesos), in which sum is included the indemnifica- 
tion which will have to be paid to the owners of 
country and town estates located within the pro- 
jected basin of the waters; the canalization of the 
rivers Conchos y Florido, using the river beds of 
the ‘Fierro’ and ‘“‘Los Indios’’ streams, as far as 
Cevallos, where the reservoir will be located and of 
which the cost is estimated at six million pesos; the 
dam on the Tunal river, at the point known as “El 
Durazno,” with a cost of $1,300,000 (pesos), 
which will irrigate no less than thirteen thousand 
hectares; the dam in the Michilia section, on the 
Parra river, at a cost of $1,500,000 (pesos) ; the 
dams on the La Boguilla, Atotonilco, La Canoa 
streams, in Cuencame, at a cost of about one-quarter 
of a million pesos each. These dams would make 
a very large area of uncultivated lands productive. 

Although in the Laguna section, few farm lots 
are rented or farmed out on the share system, the 
land generally is cultivated by the owner himself, 
the cost amounting to about $25,000 (pesos) 
per lot, including all the work of sowing the seed 
or planting, of cleaning, carting off the dirt and 
cobbing. 

The farmers of this section of the country em- 
ploy modern farm implements for their work and 
treat their land in a scientific manner, for which 
purpose they employ specialized farm engineers. 


SS The Republic of Mexico 


Nearly all of them grow their crops on their own 
account, financed by the banks. They sell land at 
various prices, lots of one hundred hectares in the 
cotton belt reaching a value of as much as $100,000 
(pesos). Landowners in the interior of the State 
usually plant the crops which do not require irriga- 
tion on a share basis, while those which do require 
irrigation (corn and wheat), they cultivate them- 
selves. When the land is farmed on the share 
system, the owners supply the laborers with the yoke 
of oxen, the farm implements, the land, the seed 
of corn, beans, and other crops as outfit, for which 
they recoup themselves at the time of the division 
of the yield. Up to the present the irrigation crops 
have been small, due to the lack of proper arrange- 
ments for the reservation of the water, which is 
usually allowed to run to waste, without any at- 
tempt being made to utilize it. The land for other 
crops than cotton is worth from 30 to 50 pesos 
(15-25 dollars) per hectare of cultivated land. 

There are scarcely any Government lands left, 
except in the mountainous section known as Sierra 
de Michis, Pueblo Nuevo, San Dimas and Tama- 
zula, lands which the Government has sold for less 
than ten pesos the hectare. 


GUANAJUATO 


Crops.—This State is the second to the State of 
Jalisco in the matter of producing agricultural com- 
modities. It yields yearly 360,000 tons of corn, 
26,000 tons of haricot beans (phaseolus vulgaris), 
5,000 tons of sweet potatoes, 4,200 tons of peanuts, 
16,500 tons of barley, 12,000 tons of sugar-cane, 
8,700 tons of chickpeas, 2,300 tons of raw sugar, 


The Republic of Mexico SQ 


1,400 tons of potatoes, 5,300 tons of pulque (a 
beverage taken from the agave), 100,000 tons of 
wheat, 230 tons of tobacco, 800 tons of garlic, 100 
tons of artichokes (cynara scolymus), 900 tons of 
cabbage, 1,000 tons of red tomatoes, 1,400 tons of 
lettuce (lactucca sativa), 800 tons of cucumbers, 
go tons of radishes (raphanus sativus), 300 tons of 
green tomatoes, 230 tons of purslane (jussiaea 
repens), 300 tons of carrots, and some other 
articles. 

Besides the quantities mentioned the State can 
produce a great deal more if proper attention is 
given to a number of plants, as, for instance, the 
different species of chile (pepper) which already now 
give more than 5,000 tons a year; tobacco, potatoes, 
peanuts, sugar-cane and a few other articles. A 
completely new article for agriculture in the State of 
Guanajuato is the cotton plant, the growing of which 
has been tried already in several sections of the 
State, especially in the “hacienda de Frias,” and it 
has been found out that this plant would yield better 
results in this State than in the cotton belt of the 
Laguna, because in the Laguna the cultivation of a 
lot of 100 hectares, that is the cost of sowing, clean- 
ing and harvesting requires the expenditure of more 
or less than twenty-five thousand pesos every year, 
while in the State of Guanajuato it costs only five 
thousand pesos, for the reason that in this State the 
water supply for irrigation purposes is a great deal 
less expensive than in the Laguna region, and fur- 
thermore, the articles of prime necessity are sold in 
Guanajuato at much lower prices. The cultivation 
of cotton is strongly attracting the farmers in Guana- 
juato, and there is no doubt that within a short time 
there will be many cotton plantations in this State. 


gO The Republic of Mexico 


Another good reason for cultivating cotton in the 
State on a large scale is that the product will be 
used as raw material by the factories established in 
this region. Flax, which grows well in the State of 
Michoacan, could be cultivated in this State with 
absolute certainty of good results. The soil of 
Guanajuato offers the best conditions for the grow- 
ing of the white-mulberry tree; it can be planted all 
over the State with the certainty of success. 

Transportation.—The following roads exist for 
the moving of the crops to the different sections of 
the country: the line from Mexico to Laredo, which 
touches several places of the State; the road from 
Mexico to Acambaro; that from Mexico to Guada- 
lajara; from Jaral del Valle to Guanajuato; from 
[rapuato to Gonzalez; from Acambaro to Gon- 
zalez; from Rincon to Pozos; from Mexico to El 
Paso; from Penjamo to Ajuno. Although this State 
has many railroad lines, it needs still more, in view 
of its growing development. Furthermore, as it is 
located in the center of the Republic, it is not far 
away from the markets which consume its products. 
This circumstance adds materially to the commercial 
and industrial value of the State. 

Horticulture and Orchards——The fruits pro- 
duced in the State of Guanajuato are generally those 
belonging to the temperate zone, although there are 
regions in the State which are very well adapted to 
tropical fruits. The alligator-pear, probably not as 
large as the one that grows in the State of Quere- 
taro, is, nevertheless, very large and yields about 
200 tons a year; the chavacano (a species of apri- 
cot) gives an annual crop of 140 tons; the “‘chiri- 
moya’”’ (ananas cherimollia), cherimoyer, 90 tons; 
the peach, 2,400 tons; the strawberry (frangaria 


The Republic of Mexico Or 


vesca), 30 tons; the pomegranate, 180 tons; the 
guava, 900 tons; figs, 1,200 tons; “‘jicama’”’ (dahlia 
coccinea), 345 tons; limes, 2,300 tons; lemons, 75 
tons; apples, 200 tons; melons, 680 tons; quinces, 
350 tons; oranges, 200 tons; nuts (different kinds), 
60 tons; pears, 290 tons; watermelons, 1,900 tons; 
“‘tejocote’’ (crategus mexicana) 100 tons; the 
“tuna,” prickly pear or Indian fig or opuntia (opun- 
tia ficus indica); the Castilian tuna is called that 
way; then there is the species called ‘‘duraznillo”’ 
(opuntia leucotricha) and the ‘‘cardona’”’ (cereus 
pecten aborigenus), producing 2,400 tons a year; 
grapes yield 80 tons and the white sapote (casimiroa 
edulis), 130 tons. 

The figures given clearly indicate that the State 
could produce a far greater quantity of all these 
fruits. At present most of this fruit is taken out of 
the State, but a considerable part of it is, neverthe- 
less, consumed in the State itself. 

Horticulture could also be developed to a greater 
extent since all the vegetables as well as all the 
agricultural and industrial products can be easily 
moved to the markets of consumption. 

Lands.—There are idle lands in the region of the 
Bajio—an extremely fertile section, that are well 
watered and enjoy good humidity. The manner in 
which the large landed properties were formed in 
the country in years gone by is also evidenced in this 
State, so that very extensive tracts of land are in the 
hands of a few owners. ‘The result of this anti- 
quated system has been that the proprietors care 
very little about cultivating the largest possible 
areas of land, but exploit only such portions of it as 
their means, money as well as laborers, permit. In 
most cases herds of cattle live on the pasture which 


92 The Republic of Mextco 


naturally grows on the land. ‘The State of Guana- 
juato, with a system of small farms, would un- 
doubtedly yield far better results than those which 
are obtained at present. In the sections known as 
Bajio, Valle de Santiago, Penjamo, Yuriria, San 
Miguel de Allende, in fact all over the State there 
are idle lands alongside the cultivated areas, that are 
just as good as the latter. 

The landowners are, as a rule, opposed to selling 
portions of their land, except when forced by cir- 
cumstances. A hectare of land is estimated to be 
worth from 60 to 100 pesos (30-50 dollars). 

The method of land cultivation is one which has 
become habitual through constant repetition during 
centuries: wheat planted by the owners of the land 
themselves for their own benefit, the laborers being 
paid by the day; corn, fruits and vegetables are also 
grown by the landlords, when the planting is done 
on irrigated land. Plantations which are subject to 
the vagaries of rain or sunshine, are carried out on 
the 50-50 plan between the farm hands and the 
owner of the land; in this case the landowners put 
at the disposal of the farmers not only the desired 
land, but also the dray animals, farm implements, 
the seed, and certain advances in money or in kind. 
In the large plantations handled by the landowners 
themselves, only modern implements and machinery 
are employed. 

At present there are no national lands in the State 
of Guanajuato of which the Federal Government 
could dispose, but among the landed proprietors a 
tendency has become evident of late to better utilize 
the large areas of cultivable land, and they are open 
to acceptable offers for the sale of their surplus 
lands. Furthermore, it is possible that, as soon as 


The Republic of Mexico 93 


all the large properties have had their boundaries 
determined and adjusted to correspond to the actual 
holdings covered by the titles, the existence of excess 
or surplus lands will be revealed, in which case the 
distribution of these lands will be the privilege of 
the Federal Government. 


GUERRERO 


Crops.—Agriculture promises the best economic 
results in this State. Although existing conditions 
do not allow the State to undertake the exporting of 
any of its agricultural products, at least not on a 
large scale, its fertile lands even now produce large 
quantities of sugar-cane, cotton, sesame, coffee, sweet 
potatoes, beans, chile, “‘cascalote” (yielding tannin 
for the tanning industry), castor-oil seed, calabash, 
onions, tomatoes, etc. As to the fruits, the same 
thing happens here as in the State of Michoacan, in 
its southern section, that is, most of the fruit is lost, 
because there are no shipping facilities to move them 
to the markets. 

Of sugar-cane a little over 45,000 tons is har- 
vested, exclusive of the amount used in the manu- 
facture of sugar, of which 3,400 tons are obtained, 
of “piloncillo” or “panocha’”’ (a kind of raw or 
crude sugar) which yields 3,200 tons, of molasses 
of which 6,200 tons are produced, of rum which 
yields 12,600 tons. Rice yields 2,100 tons; the pro- 
duction of this article could be vastly increased; 
sesame (sesamum indica) yields some 35,700 tons, 
that is, more than is produced in any part of the 
Republic, in spite of the lack of the proper means 
of transportation. Cotton (two species: the gos- 
sypium herbaceum and the eriodendron grandiflora) 


O4 The Republic of Mexico 


yields 5,400 tons; coffee, the planting of which was 
started only a few years ago, yields an average 
yearly crop of some 300 tons; sweet potatoes give 
2,200 tons; “‘cascalote,’’ which produces thirty per 
cent of tannin, 2,150 tons; beans, 8,900 tons; seeds 
of the castor-oil plant, 230 tons; calabash, i. e., the 
Castilian calabash (cucurbita maxima) and the 
water-calabash, popularly known as “‘calabaza de 
casco,’ 3,400 tons; onions, 234 tons; red tomatoes, 
189 tons; radishes (raphanus sativa), 67 tons; 
green tomatoes, 345 tons. The State produces also 
small quantities of other vegetables and cereals. 

In spite of the enormous difficulties with which 
the State of Guerrero has to struggle in the matter 
of means of transportation, it is satisfied with the 
small profits it receives from the export of its 
products. It ships a considerable portion of these, 
especially sesame, cascalote, seeds of the castor-oil 
plant, sugar, molasses, raw sugar, rice, coffee, some 
corn, and other articles in smaller quantities, to dif- 
ferent parts of the interior of the Republic. Some 
of these go also to foreign countries. 

Among the new cultivations which could be intro- 
duced in the State with profit must be mentioned 
the cocoa-tree (theobroma cacao) which has already 
given good results in the State of Oaxaca, so near 
to the State of Guerrero, where the same conditions 
obtain for the advantageous cultivation of this plant 
as in the latter and Tabasco. Furthermore, the 
ramie, a fiber-yielding plant (boehmeria niveatex), 
could be planted in Guerrero, where it is already cul- 
tivated to some extent with the best success. The 
vanilla-vine would also yield good results in Guer- 
rero, since its dense forests offer the plant the pro- 
tection it needs. 


The Republic of Mexico 95 


Transportation—The State of Guerrero has no 
rapid means to move its crops, except a section of 
the railroad from Mexico City to Balsas. A few 
ships touch also at its port of Acapulco, but by no 
means often enough to supply the necessary shipping 
facilities. 

Horticulture and Orchards.—The fruits pro- 
duced in this region are those that belong to the 
torrid zone: the alligator-pear, of which there is 
an average annual production of 678 tons; the an- 
nona, or custard-apple (pina—moustera deliciosa), 
which yields 980 tons; another species of annona 
(chirimoya-ananas squamosa), 345 tons; the two 
species of plums (prunus domestica and spondias 
purpurea), 480 tons; coconuts, 7,000 tons; peaches, 
300 tons; “‘garambullo”’ (cereus geometrizans), 100 
tons; guava, 600 tons; “huamuchil’’ (pithecolobium 
dulce), 400 tons; “jicama”’ (dahlia coccinea), 375 
tons; limes, 1,000 tons; mammees (lucuma mam- 
mosa), 435 tons; mangos, 4,600 tons; melons, 900 
tons; ‘‘nanche” (birsonima crassifolia), 450 tons; 
these latter fruits are not very agreeable to the 
taste to one who is not used to them, but preserved 
in alcohol they constitute an excellent remedy for 
the cure of diarrhea and similar ailments of the. 
digestive tract. Oranges produce 3,800 tons; pa- 
paws (carica papaya), 400 tons; plantains (musa 
paradisiaca), 3,000 tons; watermelons, 2,300 tons; 
tamarinds (tamarindus indicus), 360 tons. The 
great problem that awaits solution in the State of 
Guerrero consists in finding a way to utilize all the 
fruits it produces, for enormous quantities are lost 
altogether; some of them are exported to the in- 
terior of the Republic and even to the United States, 
via the port of Acapulco, and large quantities are 


90 The Republic of Mexico 


consumed by animals, especially hogs, of which large 
numbers are raised in the State. 

Lands.—The State of Guerrero possesses an 
enormous extent of idle lands, covered only by trees 
and plants which are of no use. All these lands, 
however, are of excellent quality and suitable for 
agricultural purposes. None of these lands need 
drainage, but rather some small leveling works, so 
that the streams may be made serviceable for irriga- 
tion purposes. 

The price of land in this State, due to chronic 
difficulties in transportation, is not high, good land 
being quoted as low as 25 pesos ($12.50 American 
money) per hectare. The owners of large tracts of 
land follow the system of partnership, used all over 
the country for the cultivation of farm land. 

The State has national lands in different sections. 
There are reserves of some importance in La Proy- 
idencia, Xolcoman, La Candelaria, Tepehualapa, 
which all in all aggregate about 350,000 hectares. 
No doubt there are other lands belonging to the 


State, but their extent and limits have not been well 
defined. 


HIDALGO 


Crops.—Agriculture is the principal occupation 
of the inhabitants of this State who cultivate rice, 
corn, wheat, sugar-cane, coffee, chile, haricot, beans, 
maguey (agave atrovirens). ‘The coffee produced 
here is of the same variety as that produced in San 
Luis Potosi, viz.: Huasteco and caracolillo, of which 
the annual production is 400 tons, mostly shipped to 
the interior of the country. Corn produces 200,000 
tons annually, more than two-thirds of this being 
consumed in the State. Cane yields 2,900 tons, 


The Republic of Mexico 97 


mostly for the local market, and very little for other 
towns in Mexico; barley yields 3,200 tons, partly 
exported; chile, 2,800 tons, less than half being 
shipped to Mexico City; sweet potatoes, 130 tons, 
for local requirements; potatoes, 150 tons; wheat, 
I,500 tons, ground in mills located in the State; 
onions, 600 tons which are mostly sent away. We 
may state here that the soil of Hidalgo is suited to 
every kind of culture. At the present time the cul- 
tivations needing special attention are those we have 
enumerated, to which may be added the garavance 
or chickpea, beans, peas, lentils. Rice should be 
cultivated more extensively, also sugar-cane. The 
pulque maguey (agave atrovirens) is cultivated to 
a large extent and the State has some famous pulque 
breweries, such as those of Tepa, where the most 
complete experiments have been made respecting 
the ferments used in the manufacture of pulque, 
which is an intoxicating drink not well looked upon 
by men who wish to uplift the masses, though the 
latter consider it an indispensable article of food. 
The diastase generally used in the fermentation of 
pulque is that known under the scientific name of 
“saccharomyces pyriformis.” Hidalgo produces 
1,130,000 hectoliters of pulque a year, mostly con- 
sumed in Mexico City and the Federal District. The 
best pulque comes from the “‘haciendas”’ in the plains 
of Apam. The populace also drink ‘“‘tlachique” 
which is the unfermented juice of the maguey, called 
in other parts of the country “‘aguamiel” or “‘hidro- 
miel.” ‘The quantity of ‘‘tlachique” ordinarily con- 
sumed every year is estimated at 3,000 tons. About 
1,200 tons of ‘“‘aguardiente de cana” (white rum) 
and 1,350 tons of “panocha’”’ (a crude form of 
sugar) are also obtained. 


(OXes The Republic of Mexico 


Transportation.—There are numerous routes for 
the transport of these products: The Mexico to 
Pachuca Railroad, with a number of branch lines 
which cover well the southern portion of the State; 
the railway from Tellez to Tulancingo, from Ven- 
toquipa to Apulco. ‘The State has not over 300 kilo- 
meters of railway tracks. 

Horticulture and Orchards.—Of fruits, the State 
produces annually the following average: aguacate 
(alligator-pear ) ,300 tons; peaches, 200 tons; plums, 
go tons; pomegranates (punica granatum), 1,200 
tons; guava, 200 tons; limes, 400 tons; lemons, 
I,200 tons; mangos, 130 tons; apples, 225 tons; 
melons, 300 tons; nuts, the product of the walnut 
(juglans regia) which gives a large nut, and the 
‘carya oliveaformis,’ which produces a smaller 
nut, considerable quantities; pineapples, 2,000 
tons; bananas, 2,800 tons; watermelons, 200 tons; 
tamarinds, 100 tons; white sapotas, 200 tons. 
Nearly all these fruits go partly to markets outside 
of the State of Hidalgo, though their value in money 
is small. ‘The returns, however, could be increased 
owing to the proximity of good and sure markets 
and the facility with which products can be sent to 
the United States. Horticulture, at present very 
little engaged in, can also be developed, as Hidalgo 
has numerous rivers, an excellent climate, fertile 
lands and the facilities to reach a market for all its 
products. 

Lands.—There are, as all over the country, large 
areas of uncultivated land which are rich in vegetable 
matter and are located right next to land at present 
farmed. ‘he owners of the latter, although realiz- 
ing that they could benefit by renting out the lands 
to small farmers, prefer to allow these lands to 


The Republic of Mexico 99 


remain idle. Land is sold at prices which vary from 
fifty to seventy pesos the hectare. Lands which are 
not irrigated, are given to workers on the same 
terms as in the rest of the country, that is to say, 
on “half shares,” the owner supplying the oxen and 
farm implements, the seed, general outfit, etc., the 
cost of which is returned to him at the end of the 
harvest season. 

The revision of the boundaries of property has 
not yet been made in this State, but it is certain that 
the Federal Government has a large aggregate of 
land which it could sell or lease. 


JALIsco 


Crops.—Agriculture constitutes the real wealth 
of the State of Jalisco. It is a great producer of 
cereals and justly called the granary of the country. 
The farmers engage here chiefly in the raising of 
corn, beans, chickpeas, potatoes, rice, sugar-cane, 
and other articles. he production of corn in this 
State is the largest obtained anywhere in Mexico 
and is never less than 500,000 tons a year. Dif- 
ferent species of corn are raised here and they all 
grow splendidly; a variety of corn called ‘‘cuaren- 
teno,”’ that is, the non-irrigated corn (zea mays pre- 
cox), the ‘“‘palomero”’ or ‘‘maiz pipitillo” (zea mays 
minima), the rainy season corn (zea mays autumna 
seminibus albi), the “pinto,” red corn (zea mays 
rubra), the irrigated corn (zea mays turgida). The 
beans, that is, the haricot beans which together with 
the corn constitute the principal food of the Mex- 
icans in general, produce 24,500 tons; the chickpea, 
which is as nourishing as the beans, grows very 
well in the State and is a favorite crop with the 


Ioo The Republic of Mexico 


farmers, yielding about 25,000 tons; rice, intensively 
cultivated on the shores of the Chapala lake gives 
1,300 tons; this figure certainly could and should be 
raised; the peanut produces 5,000 tons. The people 
have already started to extract a splendid oil from 
this product; “chile” gives 4,300 tons, 7. e., all the 
different varieties of this plant combined; sugar-cane 
produces 56,480 tons; of which 5,000 tons are con- 
verted into sugar, 9,800 tons into rum, 6,000 tons 
into crude sugar, and 500 tons into molasses; to- 
bacco produces about 2,000 tons; sweet potatoes, 
6,600 tons; wheat, from which very good flour is 
prepared, 18,500 tons; potatoes, 1,400 tons; onions, 
3,000 tons; lettuce, 400 tons; red tomatoes, 5,000 
tons; green tomatoes, 2,400 tons; purslane (jussiaea 
repens), 560 tons; “‘tlachique,” 5,000 tons; arti- 
chokes, 200 tons; sesame, 700 tons; garlic, 600 tons; 
beets, 1200 tons. 

This output represents, of course, a great deal 
more than the State can consume, in spite of the fact 
that it is one of the most populated States in the 
Mexican Federation, having more than one million 
people; «consequently there is a great surplus of 
products which is exported to other States of the 
Union. 

Especially large quantities of corn are sent to 
diverse markets of the Republic, in fact not less than 
340,000 tons every year; also 10,000 tons of beans; 
14,000 tons of chickpeas and very considerable 
quantities of the other products. 

A good many articles, besides those mentioned 
and which belong to the temperate zone, can be 
produced in this State, including such as belong to 
the torrid zone, since some sections of the State, 
bordering with the States of Colima and Michoacan 


The Republic of Mexico IoIr 


and the coast are in the latter zone. Among these 
products we have the “ramie’”’ (boehmeria nivea- 
tex), already produced, but not properly exploited 
in the State; cotton in the southern part; henequen 
(agave rigida) and “zapupe” (another fiber-pro- 
ducing plant) in the zone watered by the Hueju- 
quilla and Bolanos rivers; barley and flax, lentils, 
etc: 

Transportation—The State has comparatively 
few railroad lines, considering the large crops it has 
to move; the lines serving it are as follows: the 
railroad from Mexico to Guadalajara; that from the 
latter point to Manzanillo, another from Guadala- 
jara to Ameca; from Mexico to El Paso, from La 
Barca to Atotonilco, etc. This net of railways is 
not sufficient, and the agricultural industry suffers 
a great deal from this deficiency. True, there are 
a good many cartroads, but they are not only in bad 
repair, but to haul goods over them is most of the 
time a very slow process, too expensive in the end. 

Horticulture and Orchards.—Jalisco produces 
considerable quantities of fruits: of aguacate (alli- 
gator-pears), 16,000 tons; “bonete’’ (pileus hep- 
taphillus), 100 tons; ‘“‘capulin’” (prunus capuli), 
70,000 tons; plums, 1,400 tons; coconuts, 100 
tons; “‘chirimoya,”’ 100 tons; peaches, 14,600 tons; 
pomegranates, 300 tons; guavas, 3,000 tons; “‘hua- 
muchil,” 1,400 tons; “jicama,’’ 4,200 tons; “‘chava- 
cano,’ 2,000 tons; limes, 1,900 tons; mammees, 
5,000 tons; mangos, 4,600 tons; apples, 50,000 
tons; quinces, 1,700 tons; “nanche,”’ 300 tons; 
oranges, I1,000 tons; nuts (two species), 400 tons; 
pineapples, 1,200 tons; papaws, 360 tons; “‘pit- 
ahaya”’ (cereus tricostatus), 4,000 tons; plantains, 
4,500 tons; tamarinds, 125 tons; ‘‘tejocote,” 14,600 


Oe The Republic of Mexico 


tons; watermelons, 6,000 tons; melons, 3,200 tons; 
pears, 4,700 tons; “tuna duraznilla,” 2,000 tons; 
white sapotas, 700 tons; yellow sapotas (lucuma sal- 
icifolia), 1,000 tons; black sapotas (diospyros eben- 
aster), 600 tons. 

More than two-thirds of this fruit crop is ex 
ported, either to different parts of Mexico, or to 
the United States. The former receive the major 
part of the export. 

Jalisco enlarges its orchards almost daily, and ~ 
turns its products to better advantage. There are © 
already several factories that make sweetmeats 
and fruit preserves, while some of the fruits are not 
exported in any other but jelly form, as the ‘‘bonete” _ 
(pilleus heptaphillus) and the “tejocote”’ (crataegus 
mexicana), which in the preserved state are most 
excellent. Even the peach, the “peron,” and the 
apple are also partly exported in this form. | 

Nevertheless, Jalisco can increase its production of — 
fruits and vegetables to a considerable extent, as 
soon as new railways in the northern and western ~ 
sections of the State permit the easy export of the — 
products. } 

Nearly all the States of the Mexican Republic — 
are awakening to the necessity of better utilizing © 
their lands; therefore in recent years there has been — 
noticeable a general tendency towards better dis- — 
tribution of the cultivable lands, in order to attain © 
a higher level of prosperity and to get better returns — 
from agricultural pursuits. It has become manifest — 
to all that in the past it was a great mistake to — 
permit large holdings of land by one concern or — 
person, since the natural consequence of it was that — 
the major portion of this land was either kept en- 
tirely idle, or cultivated and exploited on a scale 





The Republic of Mexico 103 


which did by no means correspond to what the land 
should produce under ordinary reasonable condi- 
tions. The State of Jalisco is the leader in the 
movement for a proper redistribution of the un- 
cultivated lands without injustice to anyone, as far 
as possible, thereby promoting the best interests to 
the landowners themselves. 

One of the objects of the Syndicate of Proprietors 
is to procure the division of all large landed prop- 
erties in a way most advantageous to the general 
interests of the Nation. ‘There are in the State of 
Jalisco, as well as in all other sections of the country, 
idle lands, and the area of cultivable lands, at pres- 
ent utilized only for pasture, is ten times greater 
than the area of lands used for agricultural pur- 
poses. This does not include such lands as are suit- 
able only for pasturage, as otherwise the dispro- 
portion would be even greater. ‘The lands in the 
State, as a rule, are good and can be devoted to the 
following crops: those in the southern section to 
the cultivation of cotton; those near the Chapala 
lake, Etzatlan and other places, to rice and sugar- 
cane; the lands of the section called the Bahio, to 
the cultivation of cereals, especially wheat, which 
up to now has been practically neglected. One of 
the problems that must be solved in Jalisco is that of 
irrigation, in order to free the farmer from anxiety 
in connection with the irregularity of the rainy sea- 
son. There are scarcely any irrigation works in the 
State, though irrigation can be easily enough ef- 
fected on the river Lerma, not by building dams, but 
by digging canals which would water such regions 
as have no rivers; the same thing applies to the 
rivers Lagos, Juchipila, Bolanos, Armeria, and 
others; in all these instances the water should be 


IO4 The Republic of Mexico 


brought to the proper level, in order to permit the 
irrigation of the land which is more or less elevated. 

The owners of large estates and even those that 
own lands of smaller extent in this State are dis- 
posed to sell portions of their properties in excess of 
what they can reasonably handle. To do so all they 
need is to have the prospective buyers come to them 
directly, and, prepared to offer the necessary guar- 
antees. Conditions vary according to the location 
of the land; near the railroads and where the land 
can be devoted to the growing of large crops, the 
value fluctuates between 80 and 100 pesos the hec- 
tare; while in the somewhat distant sections, which, 
however, offer facilities for cultivation, the price of 
land ranges from 50 to 70 pesos per hectare; in the 
remote parts of Huejuquilla, Teocaltiche, Bolanos, 
etc.; the land although of very good quality does not 
cost more than 30 to 40 pesos the hectare. 

The Federal Government has no lands in this 
State. 


MExIco 


Crops.—Agricultural products grown in this 


State are: Corn, beans, barley, sugar-cane, oats, 
wheat, pumpkin, onions, “‘chayote” (a vegetable), 
tomatoes, and various other vegetables and garden 
cultures. 

The corn production ranks among the first in the 
Republic; it is estimated at 480,000 tons a year, its 
major portion being sent to the Federal District. 
Of barley 85,000 tons are harvested annually; it is 
chiefly used as fodder in the stables of Mexico City. 
Sugar-cane brings 2,500 tons, out of which some 
pure sugar is won, the balance giving about 600 tons 
of ‘‘panoche” (brown sugar, not refined). Of oats, 





The Republic of Mexico 105 


200 tons are harvested, mainly for exportation. 
Honey yields 430 tons; of which 300 tons go to the 
City of Mexico. Fifty thousand tons of pulque are 
produced, sixty per cent of which is consumed in the 
Federal District. ‘“Tlachique’ (unfermented 
pulque) yields 80,000 tons. Of wheat, 280,000 tons 
are produced, and exported in various forms of 
flour; of pumpkin, 200 tons; of chayote, 350 tons; 
red tomatoes, 200 tons. 

A most profitable business in ihe southern section 
of the State, especially in the District of Sultepec, 
Temaxcaltepec, Texcoco and in others, would be the 
cultivation of the grape-vine. 

The white-mulberry tree is likewise easily cul- 
tivated, and a well-conducted silk industry could 
count on sufficiently large quantities of raw material; 
a more intensive sesame production, as is the case in 
the State of Michoacan, may also be developed 
without difficulty; the same may be said of fig and 
olive orchards and of other plants, the products of 
which are used in the manufacture of oils and soaps. 
The sugar industry could be much improved, that 
is, a great deal more sugar-cane could be raised and 
utilized, because there is no reason why the State 
of Mexico should not accomplish as much as is 
being done in the States of Michoacan and Morelos, 
in the regions watered by the tributaries of the Bal- 
sas river. 

Transportation.—As to transportation facilities 
for moving the crops there are various railway lines 
running through the State of Mexico. All north- 
bound trains from the City of Mexico cross the ter- 
ritory of this State; likewise those from Mexico 
City to Veracruz, Pachuca, Cuernavaca and Acam- 
baro. Much remains to be done, however, to en- 


100 The Republic of Mexico 


able the State of Mexico to fully enjoy the benefits 
of its productiveness. 

Horticulture and Orchards.—This State is one 
of the most prominent fruit purveyors of the City of 
Mexico and the Federal District. It grows annually 
950 tons of alligator-pears, 1,500 tons of plums, 
180 tons of peaches, 1,200 tons of guavas, 225 tons 
of ‘‘jicama,’” 1,125 tons of limes, 1,200 tons of 
lemons, 145 tons of mammees, 280 tons of mangos, 
230 tons of apples, 125 tons of “‘nanches,”’ 1,200 
tons of oranges, 300 tons of walnuts, 150 tons of 
pears, 3,700 tons of bananas, 550 tons of “‘tejocote”’ 
(a kind of small apple), 450 tons of “‘tunas” (the 
fruit of a cactus bush), 160 tons of sapotas. As 
there is still a lack of transportation facilities, the 
fruit which actually grows in the State is not fully 
utilized, much of it being allowed to go to waste 
though a fair proportion of the fruit that cannot be 
sent to the market for one reason or another, is 
used as feed for hogs as well as for cattle. 

Many sound commercial reasons could be ad- 
vanced for a keener interest in the larger produc- 
tion of fruits and vegetables in this State, in view 
of the increasing home consumption and the vicinity 
of excellent markets outside of the State. 

Lands.—The State of Mexico has at its disposal 
a large non-cultivated area. On the large planta- 
tions only those products have been cultivated which 
are more in demand or which promise an assured 
market. Adjoining these cultivated lands wide 
stretches of good ground can be found, well adapted 
to various cultivations. ‘There is a great probabil- 
ity that, as soon as the municipal limits of every 
city and town in the State have been defined, large 
tracts of agricultural land will be left in the pos- 





The Republic of Mexico 107 


session of the Federal Government. The lands in 
the valley of Toluca require an extensive irrigation 
system, while those in the Bravo valley and others 
situated towards the south need irrigation to a lesser 
degree. 

The owners of land in this State are not eager to 
sell their properties or portions of them, being 
rather inclined to rent out the uncultivated sections. 
But in the exceptional cases when they do sell, they 
ask from 50 to 60 pesos for the hectare. Orchard 
lands in the south of the State cost from 70 to 80 
pesos the hectare. 

The Federal Government holds title to about 
1,142 hectares of land in the region of Jaltipa. 


MICHOACAN 


Crops.—Agriculture is the principal source of 
wealth of this State. The products which are raised 
on its soil are: rice, oats, sweet potatoes, sugar- 
cane, haricot beans, chickpeas, corn, potatoes, wheat, 
pumpkin, onions, ‘‘chayote’’ (a kind of vegetable), 
peas, tomatoes, lettuce, radishes, carrots, water- 
melon, melon, etc. In giving the quantities of the 
crops in tons we must remark that these figures do 
not represent the entire output, but only that part 
of it which is made use of, as we cannot too often 
repeat that Michoacan produces a great deal more 
than it consumes. So that, to obtain a correct idea 
of the productivity of the State, one must keep in 
mind that the total crop gathered is much larger 
than what is here given, especially as regards fruits, 
sugar-cane, rice, “‘cascalote,’’ etc. 

Rice is raised on various farms of the Valle del 
Marques section, such as ‘Lombardia,’ ‘Nueva 


IOs The Republic of Mexico 


Italia’ and “Santa Casilda,’”’ and on others in the 
section of the Southern Plateau, and produces 
15,000 tons which are mostly shipped to different 
parts of the country. Corn yields 365,000 tons, 
and is also partly exported; oats, 700 tons, almost 
entirely shipped away; sweet potatoes, 11,000 tons; 
sugar-cane, I20,000 tons, and is either used for 
domestic consumption or shipped in its raw form to 
other markets; to this must be added the cane used 
in the mills of the State. Sugar amounts to over 
8,000 tons; panocha, 7. e., a crude form of sugar, 
6,000 tons; molasses, 4,000 tons. ‘This branch of 
agriculture is one which particularly suffers from the 
lack of transport facilities; the same is true of the 
rice. ‘There are some plantations in this State, 
such as Los Laureles, Los Bances, Puruaran, Guan- 
dacareo, Coapa and others which could yield five or 
more times the present production. Sugar and other 
sugar-cane products, among which must not be for- 
gotten ‘‘aguardiente” (rum) to the extent of 6,000 
tons are shipped to other markets, true, under great 
difficulties, as the State of Michoacan has some 
very picturesque uneven country and is crossed by 
the famous “Volcanic Axis’ (Eje Volcanico) of 
Mexico which gives rise to the central and southern 
table-lands, parts of which make up the terrain of 
Michoacan. The corn-growing plantations, such as 
Villachato, Cantabria, Angangueo, Querendaro, 
Santa Ana, Coapa, Guaracha, Zapote, Atapaneo, 
Rincon, are equally affected by this lack of means 
of communication, because under better conditions 
they could easily multiply their production five-fold. 

Coffee, which is principally produced in Uruapan 
and is one of the most famous products, gives about 
400 tons. 


The Republic of Mexico IO0Q 


Wheat is one of the products which could yield 
immense returns. Present crops are estimated at 
130,000 tons, as a yearly average, which are sent 
out of the State in the form of flour, to various parts 
of the country, especially to the Capital of the Re- 
public. ‘The principal wheat-growing plantations 
are: Villachuato, Guaracha, Cantabria, Rincon, 
Angangueo and many others. MHaricot beans yield 
18,000 tons; “‘cascalote,’’ 1,880 tons; chickpeas, 
13,000 tons; potatoes, 200 tons; pumpkins, 3,500 
tons; onions, 1,300 tons; “‘chayote,”’ 500 tons; peas, 
540 tons; tomatoes, 850 tons; radishes, 120 tons; 
carrots, 300 tons; watermelons, 4,000 tons, almost 
all for domestic consumption; beetroot, 130 tons; 
turnips, 240 tons; melons, 1,600 tons. 

A part of these products is consumed within the 
State, but, although the latter is one of the most 
populous, it cannot consume the entire production, 
so that at least half of this, and in some cases almost 
all, is shipped to other towns throughout the 
country. 

Cotton cultivation is one of the industries which 
could be introduced in the State with great advan- 
tage, as soon as there were railroad lines which 
would render profitable the raising of a product 
growing perfectly well in those regions. “Tobacco 
also grows well in the State; so does the white-mul- 
berry tree, and others would become valuable if 
transport facilities were available. As far as cotton 
is concerned, the best section for its cultivation is 
that part of the southern table-land which lies within 
Michoacan, while the middle section, as for ex- 
ample the valley of Morelia, is best suited for 
tobacco and mulberry cultivation. 

Transportation—The following are the means 


IIO The Republic of Mexico 


of communication adapted for moving these crops. 
The products from the southern table-land are 
carried on mule-back, by long and wearisome stages 
over rough and tortuous country, in the insupport- 
able heat and amid swarms of mosquitoes and other 
pests. In order to carry the crops raised in the 
section of the Central Plateau, one has to use carts 
drawn by animals, by means of which the products 
are taken with difficulty and at great expense to the 
railway depots of Uruapan, Ajuno, Morelia, Acam- 
baro, Tlalpujahua, Tacambaro. There is the rail- 
way line of Guadalajara, which serves a portion of 
the northern part, and also of Acambaro and Ta- 
cambaro, but which are totally insufficient for the 
tremendous needs of the State. 

Horticulture and Orchards.—Fruit, more than 
anything else, needs rapid means of transportation. 
The torrid section of the State produces immense 
quantities of fruit, of which not even one hundredth 
part is turned to account. The same is true of the 
mango, of which only 1,700 tons out of an enormous 
production is made use of; of alligator-pears only 
2,000 tons are saved; “‘capulin,” a kind of cherry, 
which is the “prunus capuli’” and is not the same 
‘capulin” used for timber, 7. e., the “rhus virens,”’ 
yields 8,000 tons; cherry (prunus cerasus), 120 
tons; plums (prunus domestica), the foreign kind, 
and ‘“‘spondias purpurea,” the indigenous variety, 
180 tons; coconut, 1,300 tons; “‘chirimoya,’ 220 
tons; peaches, 8,400 tons; guavas, 3,400 tons; figs, 
200 tons; “huamuchil” (pithecolobium dulce), 800 
tons; ‘‘jicama,” 850 tons; limes, 2,300 tons; lemons, 
460 tons; “royal”? lemons, 320 tons; quinces, 1,300 
tons; oranges, 2,200 tons; pears, 1,900 tons; tree- 
cactus (cereus tricostatus), 400 tons; bananas, 


ia ee a | 





The Republic of Mexico III 


4,300 tons; tamarinds, 140 tons; “tejocote,’’ 840 
tons; prickly pears, 800 tons; sapotas, 435 tons, 
and a large number of other delicious fruits which 
grow in profusion and of which small quantities are 
used. This abundance of fruit is at the same time 
a drawback to the inhabitants of these tropical 
regions, who for this reason are lazy and indolent, 
knowing that even without work they can always 
have the means of subsistence. 

The fruit of Michoacan goes to various markets 
in the country and also abroad, via the north. There 
is no need to further develop either this source of 
wealth or horticulture; the only problem is to utilize 
what-it produces. 

Lands.—There are still enormous tracts of un- 
cultivated land in those estates which are most noted 
for their cultivation methods, so that there is an 
attractive field for farmers who are prepared to 
stand the hardships of the climate, which will be 
felt rather severely at the outset perhaps, but will 
be amply compensated for. The State owns lands 
of this nature, which are awaiting cultivation as 
soon as the problem of the effective utilization of 
the products has been solved. 

Owners of land in this State sell lots at various 
prices, but, in the sections where there are means 
of communication, they do so only in exceptional 
cases. On the Southern Plateau arable land with 
fruit trees is worth from fifty to eighty pesos the 
hectare. 

It is probable that in Michoacan there are some 
surplus tracts of land which already belong or will 
be found to belong to the State Government, owing 
to errors in measurement; there are also certain 
areas of land which are at the disposal of the Fed- 


bi2 The Republic of Mexico 


eral Government: in Santa Catarina, there are more 
than 14,000 hectares of such land; in the Los Ban- 
cos section about 31,000 hectares; in San Andres, 
3,263 hectares; in Janindipo, 5,422; and in Buena- 
vista, 5,424 hectares; all of them splendidly suited 
for farming. 


MORELOS 


Crops.—The soil of this Federal State is ex- 
tremely fertile, since its lands contain a very large 
percentage of humus or vegetable matter, and for 
this very reason are suitable for all kinds of cultiva- 
tion. All such plants, of course, as belong to the 
torrid zone, within which the entire State lies, are 
particularly productive, hence sugar-cane, coffee, 
cocoa, rice, yucca and other tropical plants are those 
that are cultivated mostly. 

Rice produces somewhat over 9,000 tons, which 
leave Morelos to be consumed in other parts of the 
country; cane-sugar yields somewhat more than 
50,000 tons, that is, more than the quantities pro- 
duced in the States of Veracruz, Oaxaca or Michoa- 
can, and this means a great deal when we consider 
the extent of these different States; this product is 
also sent out of the State, mostly to other sections 
of the Republic. Sugar-cane is utilized to the extent 
of 523,500 tons, mostly sent out of the State which 
needs only a relatively small portion of this huge 
quantity. Panocha, a kind of crude or rough sugar, 
very popular in other States is in small demand in 
Morelos; 4,500 tons are prepared of this product, 
partly consumed by the lower class of people in the 
State, and partly sent to other markets. More at- 
tention is paid to the refining of molasses, reaching 
some 38,000 tons every year, which are exported 


SS. ee 


The Republic of Mexico 173 


to different markets. To the total of sugar-cane 
one must add the quantity used in the manufacture 
of rum, namely 23,000 tons a year, nearly all of 
which is sent to the various markets of the country. 

Coffee is a plant which may be considered as hay- 
ing been but recently added to the productions of the 
State, yet is grown already in large quantities and 
of excellent quality, and has therefore found profit- 
able markets. Its production, however, is not nearly 
so extensive as it certainly will be in the not distant 
future. Not so many years ago the farmers turned 
their attention to the growing of the cocoa-tree, the 
fruits of which up to now have been utilized only 
for the manufacture of chocolate, all other commer- 
cialization of this rich product being entirely neg- 
lected. 

The other agricultural products in this State are: 
chile, which yields 125 tons; barley, 1,900 tons; 
yucca, 187 tons; corn, 54,000 tons; wheat, 235 tons; 
onions, 300 tons; red tomatoes, 340 tons; radishes, 
136 tons; green tomatoes, 400 tons. A large part 
of all these products is exported, although the busi- 
ness cannot be called very profitable. 

Of the new agricultural products which could be 
introduced in this State, in fact in all the States 
which lie all or in part within the tropical zone, and 
which possess good irrigation conditions with the 
best of prospects, we mention the ‘‘ramie’’ plant 
(boehmeria niveatex), which yields a splendid tex- 
tile fiber, more than two meters long, and which 
through a process of ungumming can acquire the 
fineness of silk, but of far greater resistance than 
the strongest silk thread. Large quantities of this 
plant exist also in the States of Jalisco, Nayarit, and 
Sinaloa, and the scientific and systematic exploita- 


Il4 The Republic of Mexico 


tion of this valuable fiber would certainly constitute 
one of the most promising enterprises, from the 
industrial as well as from the commercial stand- 
point. The cultivation of the cocoa-tree and of the 
coffee-tree should be extended; the results would 
undoubtedly be very satisfactory. The zapupe plant 
which also yields a good fiber (agave derveyana), 
and which grows in the well-watered lands of the 
tropical zone, should be cultivated in this State; it 
offers a magnificent field for industrial enterprise. 

Transportation—vTo move its crops the State of 
Morelos makes use of the railway from Mexico to 
Balsas and the branch line from Puebla to Cuautla. 

Horticulture and Orchards.—The soil of More- 
los produces many different fruits which are sup- 
plied to the Federal District. The principal species 
are: alligator-pears, the mean annual production of 
which is 560 tons; anona or chirimolla (anona 
squamosa), 300 tons; plums, 345 tons; guavas, 367 
tons; “‘jicama,” 700 tons; limes, 5,o00 tons; mam- 
mees, 20,000 tons; mangos, 2,300 tons; melons, 
I,200 tons; oranges, 3,100 tons; plantains, 2,400 
tons; watermelons, 600 tons; white sapotas, 780 
tons; black sapotas (diespyros ebanaster), 450 tons; 
‘“‘pina-anona’’ (anona-pineapple), 1,900 _ tons; 
‘“chavacano,”’ peaches, pears, ‘“‘peron” (a kind of 
apple), quinces and other fruit are produced in 
smaller quantities. All this fruit from the State of — 
Morelos is consumed in the interior of the Republic. 

It would be an easy matter to increase the pro- 
duction of fruit in this State, but first of all means 
should be created for the proper cultivation of the 
products already grown, that is to say, there should 
be in the State enough large concerns engaged in 
the preserving and canning of fruit; such enterprises 


The Republic of Mexico II5 


would certainly do well from a purely commercial 
standpoint. It would be equally easy to extend and 
intensify horticulture, since good markets for the 
products are not far to seek. 

Lands.—Though the State is small, it has un- 
cultivated lands in the vicinity of the areas that are 
now worked, all of them of excellent quality and 
suitable for the same cultures which already have 
shown splendid results in other States, and for new 
ones adapted to the climatic conditions of this 
region. he landowners as a rule do not sell their 
lands. The hectare of untilled land is worth from 
a hundred to one hundred and fifty pesos (50— 
75 dollars). The partnership system in land ten- 
ure is applied only where such products as corn, 
beans, vegetables, etc., are grown. All other farm- 
ing is done by laborers hired by the landowners 
themselves. Certain portions of the land can also 
be leased, but this system is not much in use, and 
the tenants can not obtain leases which extend over 
any length of time. 


NAYARIT 


Crops.—Without any great effort or expense and 
in some cases without doing more than gathering in 
the products, the people of the State of Nayarit are 
engaged in the cultivation of cotton, rice, sugar- 
cane, chile, corn, potatoes, beans, etc., which are 
the principal items of agricultural production in the 
State. 

The cotton, that is to say not the product ordi- 
narily known under this name, but the tree-cotton 
(eriodendron grandiflora), known in this country 
and, in fact, all over Mexico and in some sections of 
Central America under the name of “pochote,”’ pro- 


II0 The Republic of Mexico 


duces, on an average 3,000 tons every year; coffee, 
540 tons; sugar-cane, 310,000 tons, exclusive of the 
cane that is used to manufacture 3,600 tons of sugar, 
2,000 tons of panocha or crude sugar, and 2,400 
tons of molasses, every year; the camote or sweet 
potato gives 300 tons; rice 2,300 tons; Irish pota- 
toes, 425 tons; tobacco, 6,400 tons; the various 
species of corn, 49,000 tons; beans, 7,000 tons; 
chickpeas, 6,400 tons. 

The larger part of this production is consumed 
in the interior of this State and another portion of 
it is exported to different parts, the United States 
being the best market. ‘The poor transportation 
facilities do not prevent the people of Nayarit from 
getting their products (large quantities of them at 
least) to the interior of the Republic; the State of 
Durango is one of the consumers of the imports 
from Nayarit in spite of the fact that enormous dif- 
ficulties must be overcome in transporting the goods 
across the “‘sierra’’ or ridge of mountains in this 
State and that of Huazamota in the State of Du- 
rango. Almost on the border line between these two 
States is the point of intersection of the sierra of 
Nayarit and that of Huazamota, both abounding 
in peaks of great altitude, scarcely distinguishable 
from one another in a place called “port of the 
First Wars” (puerto de Primeras Guerras). This 
gives one an idea of the strenuous efforts and sac- 
rifices the farmers must make in order to dispose of 
a portion of their products which they cart over 
roads that require more than twelve days of travel 
across the high tables of the mountain ridges which 
terminate in the last counterforts of the Sierra 
Madre in the State of Durango. Notwithstanding 
this Durango is one of the best markets for the 


The Republic of Mexico TUG. 


agricultural products as well as for the cattle from 
the State of Nayarit. Also a large proportion of 
the hats that are manufactured in Nayarit are 
shipped over the same road; in fact, there is a reg- 
ular commercial traffic, necessarily slow, between 
these two entities of the Mexican Federation. 

As to new plants, the cultivation of the “ramie”’ 
fiber should be extended in this section of the coun- 
try; there is already quite a number of these plants 
in the State, though they are not given the proper 
care due to the fact that the people do not suf- 
ficiently know and understand the high value of the 
fiber produced by this plant (boehmeria niveatex). 
The vanilla-vine should also be introduced, for 
humidity, soil, shade and all the other conditions 
this very valuable product requires, are found in 
Nayarit; the same applies to the cocoa-tree. Then 
there is the “zapupe”’ (agave derveyana) which up 
to now has been exclusively grown in the State of 
Tamaulipas, and which in Nayarit would find the 
right climate and soil for its splendid development. 
Up to now, the States of Veracruz, Tabasco, and 
some of the States situated within the torrid zone 
have tried to acclimatize the jute fiber (corchorus 
sp.), a textile plant the fiber of which is largely 
used by different factories in the Republic (in Vera- 
cruz and in the State of Mexico) and of which con- 
siderable quantities are imported from Calcutta. 
The cultivation of this plant should certainly be 
tried in the State of Nayarit. The cultivation of all 
these new plants should be started preferably in the 
regions along the coast, such as Compostela, Aca- 
poneta, San Blas and in the deep passes near the 
coast which are well watered and protected. 

Transportation—TThe roads of which the State 


IIs The Republic of Mexico 


of Nayarit disposes for the shipping of its products 
are: The Mexican Southern Pacific Railroad which 
connects it with the States of Sinaloa, Sonora, and 
the United States; the maritime road for which it 
has the port of San Blas; then there is the mountain 
trail which we have mentioned already, leading to 
the States of Durango, Jalisco and Zacatecas. 
Horticulture and Orchards.—In these two agrt- 
cultural branches the problem for the time being 
consists in finding ways to fully utilize the products 
already available, for this is so little the case now 
that not even the domestic animals take advantage 
of the abundance of fruits and vegetable plants. 
Nayarit is one of the principal fruit-growing 
States in the Republic; its main market is the United 
States. The following are the mean annual crops: 
alligator-pears, 1,200 tons; red plums, 400 tons; 
yellow plums (spondias lutea), 300 tons; ‘“‘chico- 
zapote’ (achras sapote), 100 tons; “huamuchil” 
(pithecolobium dulce), 5,600 tons; mangos, 1,300 
tons; oranges, 3,400 tons; limes, 2,700 tons; lemons, 
200 tons; guavas, I,700 tons; plantains, 3,500 tons; 
‘“pitahaya’’ (cereus variabilis), 300 tons; water- 
melons, 2,000 tons; melons, 300 tons; nuts (the 
various species), 100 tons; peaches, 400 tons; pears, 
100 tons; apples, 80 tons; quinces, 250 tons. 
Transportation difficulties particularly affect the 
fruit industry, as enormous quantities of the crops 
are lost. Traveling through the forests of Nayarit, 
one sees everywhere on both sides of the road large 
orchards or rather fruit forests, the products of 
which, when ripe, fall to the ground, forming thick 
carpets on the road, of no use to anybody, not even 
to the animals to any large extent, considering the 
hugeness of the crop. Here not only the hogs, but 


The Republic of Mexico IIg 


also the dogs are fat and shiny, because they feed 
on the alligator-pears that fall from the trees. 

These regions offer ample field for the establish- 
ment of large preserving and canning factories 
which would bring the best of financial results. 

Lands.—There are in this State enormous areas 
of uncultivated lands which, nevertheless, are in 
every way suitable for extensive as well as intensive 
agricultural work. ‘They are to be found in the 
valleys near the ocean, best suited to all tropical 
cultivations, while the lands on the high plateaus 
will produce corn, beans, etc. Common rye should 
also grow in Nayarit with good results. 

Uncultivated land can be had in this State at 
prices generally ranging from $12.50 to $15 
(American money) the hectare, with the excep- 
tion of the land along the flat stretches of the sea 
coast, these costing more than one hundred pesos 
(fifty dollars) a hectare. Land tenure in this State 
is arranged on the basis most commonly used all 
over Mexico, that is the partnership basis. 

The Federal Government has not as yet surveyed 
the lands that belong to it, but it is generally ad- 
mitted that there are free Government lands in the 
sierras of Alica and Nayarit and also some tracts 
of land on the Pacific coast. 


Nuevo LEON 


Crops.—The farmers of this State specialize in 
sugar-cane, corn, wheat, sweet potatoes, peanuts, 
calabash, vegetables, beans, chickpeas and similar 
products. 

Sugar-cane yields on an average 190,000 tons 
every year, not including the quantities that are con- 


I20 The Republic of Mexico 


verted into sugar, i. e., 400 tons, or into panocha, 
18,000 tons, or molasses, 800 tons and rum, 600 
tons. Panocha, or crude sugar, is manufactured in 
this State not so much as a substitute for refined 
sugar as is the case with a similar product in Mexico 
City which is called there “‘piloncillo,”’ as for use 
in the preparation of sweetmeats and jellies, to 
which peanuts, nuts and other things are added, 
probably not very exquisite in taste but very much 
liked by the general Mexican public. 

Corn, especially the early species (zea mays pre- 
cox), in spite of the unfavorable conditions due to 
the lack of irrigation and timely rains, produces 
nearly 100,000 tons; wheat, 4,500 tons; nearly all 
of it is turned into flour; beans, 4,000 tons; chick- 
peas, 2,000 tons; peas, 100 tons; cabbage, 340 tons; 
calabashes (there are two species: the Castilian, 
cucurbita pepo, and the kind called in the country, 
‘‘calabaza de casco,’’ cucurbita maxima), 700 tons; 
green tomatoes, 350 tons; red tomatoes, 500 tons; 
onions, 580 tons; garlic, 200 tons; potatoes, 450 
tons. 

The local market consumes nearly all these prod- 
ucts, with the exception of about 78,000 tons of 
sugar-cane, 12,000 tons of panocha, 360 tons of 
molasses and some of the sweet potatoes, peanuts, 
and vegetables which are sent to different markets 
of the Republic. 

Other cultivations could be introduced in the 
State, such as rye for example which is not so exact- 
ing as wheat as far as soil is concerned; barley, 
which would find immediate application industrially, 
oats, lentils and rice in the southern section of the 
State. 

Transportation—F¥or the moving of its crops 


ie i ee 


The Republic of Mexico | het 


the State has the services of several railways: the 
railroad line from Mexico to Laredo; the line from 
Monterrey to Reata and Piedras Negras and Tor- 
reon; the line running to Saltillo and Torreon and 
the railroad line to Tampico. 

Horticulture and Orchards.—The cultivation of 
fruits and vegetables should be increased in this 
State, because at present many of the products have 
to be brought in from other sources. The principal 
fruits produced in the State are the following: al- 
ligator-pears, which yield 400 tons; figs, 300 tons; 
melons, 700 tons; watermelons, 900 tons; oranges, 
3,000 tons; peaches, 400 tons; “chavacano,”’ 360 
tons; capulin, 600 tons; limes, 100 tons; lemons, 
140 tons; guavas, 80 tons; pears, 230 tons; apples, 
150 tons; nuts (large species), 200 tons; nuts (small 
size), 60 tons; most of this fruit is consumed in 
the State itself. 

Horticulture in particular should be given more 
attention, especially in those sections of the State 
where it is not difficult to arrange for irrigation, for 
good markets for the horticultural products could 
always be found in many places of the States of 
Tamaulipas, Coahuila and the United States. 

Lands.—In this State, as in most of the other 
States in the Republic, there are large tracts of un- 
cultivated land, due in the first place to the lack of 
irrigation facilities in most sections of the State, 
and secondly, because the land ownership here, as 
in the rest of the country, has been organized from 
early times on the principle of a maximum of land 
for a minimum of owners. 

The lack of water is certainly a great obstacle 
to the development of the land in this State, par- 
ticularly so because the rains are not abundant, and 


122 The Republic of Mexico 


therefore it often happens that the harvest fails 
altogether. Consequently what is needed is a proper 
system of irrigation, and for this purpose the neces- 
sary dams can be built in all the rivers which, in 
most cases, run through very narrow valleys, in 
which again there are some particularly narrow 
stretches where the damming in of the waters is 
really an easy and not too expensive task. 

Land can be bought in this State from the owners 
at prices which vary from 80 to 100 pesos per hec- 
tare in the south, and from 30 to 40 pesos per hec- 
tare in the north of the State. 

The Federal Government has no land in this 
State. 


OAXACA 


Crops.—The products to which the inhabitants 
of Oaxaca give preference are: sugar-cane grown in 
the valleys near the Mixteco river and others which 
flow into the Pacific; coffee of good quality; tobacco, 
corn, beans, garden stuff, fruit and vegetables. 

Sugar-cane produces the enormous total of 638,- 
000 tons which to a large extent (not less than 
500,000 tons) goes out of the State, either reaching 
the center of the country by way of Puebla, or else 
going to foreign countries through the port of 
Salina Cruz. But although the quantity of cane is so 
large, sugar is scarcely manufactured at all, as the 
cane production just mentioned is quite out of pro- 
portion to the 4,000 tons of sugar which are pro- 
duced annually. Molasses yields nearly 5,000 tons, 
and “panocha,” or “piloncillo” (crude sugar), 
amounts to 6,000 tons, there being also a few hun- 
dred tons of white rum and cane-alcohol. Coffee 
yields an annual crop of 3,800 tons, being mostly 





The Republic of Mexico 123 


sent to the interior of the country, and a small 
quantity to foreign countries, principally to the 
United States. Corn produces 120,000 tons an- 
nually, which shows a lamentable neglect of this 
crop, since the soil of Oaxaca is especially suited 
for it, and several grades of corn named below give 
very good results. First of all, throughout the 
country there is the variety known locally by the 
name of “‘secano’”’ (zea mays precox), giving two 
crops a year, the “humedo” (zea mays turgida), 
from which as many as three crops are obtained 
with irrigation, also what is known as ‘maiz pinto”’ 
(zea mays rubra), and the giant corn of the Te- 
huantepec region, with seeds clothed with a fine 
covering like green corn, but each seed separated 
from the other; this is known by the scientific name 
of “zea criptosperma.” Possibly the very small 
production of this product is mainly due to the lack 
of roads along which to transport it, as it is not 
profitable to transport this crop on mule-back. Any- 
way, this is a branch of agriculture which will re- 
ceive a strong impetus as soon as the State has 
solved the problem of rapid means of transporta- 
tion. In wheat production the same sad condition 
prevails, only some 3,000 tons are produced. This 
cereal, like corn, is not exported, since the produc- 
tion within the State is not even sufficient to meet 
local needs. The quantity of tobacco grown is very 
small compared with what Oaxaca is capable of 
producing in this respect; 500 tons in a year is the 
insignificant output in a section with such well-known 
facilities for tobacco-growing. Nearly all the to- 
bacco raised in the State is sent to the Capital of 
the Republic, where it is bought by the large fac- 
tories established there. Of other varieties of agri- 


124 The Republic of Mexico 


cultural produce, such as tomatoes, which yield 280 
tons, squashes, yielding 600 tons; radishes, with a 
production of 150 tons, nothing more than the bare 
quantity required for domestic consumption is 
grown; nothing is shipped to other towns in the 
Republic. 

The lamentable condition of agriculture is the 
more remarkable when one considers the fertility 
of the land, its large area which is available for 
agriculture, its geographical location and the facili- 
ties for irrigation which, if not perfect, are at any 
rate sufficient to allow the utilization of immense 
tracts at very small cost. The agricultural problem 
of the State of Oaxaca is to extend present opera- 
tions and to initiate the cultivation of new kinds of 
crops which will give the best results. One of these 
is the cultivation of cotton, for the supply of a large 
number of mills which might be established through- 
out the State (there is not a single one at present). 
Oats, rye, lentils and rice could be grown with 
profit; especially rice, which thrives in damp or 
marshy soil or that which is adapted to well-drained 
land. These give splendid results in the State of 
Michoacan, and conditions in the south of that 
State are not unlike those which obtain in the State 
of Oaxaca. The advantage of rice cultivation is 
that it is an article of great demand abroad, and the 
product of this crop could be sent to the towns of 
the Pacific coast and also to Europe by the Tehuan- 
tepec Railroad. 

Transportation.—At present there are the fol- 
lowing lines which, as we have already stated, are 
insuficient: The Oaxaca to Mexico Railway, cross- 
ing the State of Puebla; the Puebla to Ejutla Rail- 
way; the National Tehuantepec Railroad, and the 


The Republic of Mexico 125 


urban and agricultural lines of the City of Oaxaca. 
The State has a rather inadequate maritime service 
rendered by the Naviera del Pacifico Company, 
Mala del Pacifico, Naviera de los Estados de Mex- 
ico, the Kosmos line, etc., which touch at its ports 
of Salina Cruz and Puerto Angel, more or less 
regularly. 

Horticulture and Orchards—The soil of this 
section of the country is suitable for the growth of 
every class of fruit trees, but this branch of agricul- 
ture is also neglected, as may be seen from the fol- 
lowing figures: custard apples, ‘‘anona’’ (not the 
‘“anona palustris’? of Campeche, which produces a 
wood similar to cork, but the ‘“‘chirimoya,”’ of which 
the botanical name is ‘‘anona chirimollia’”’), 230 
tons; coconuts, 1,400 tons; chicozapote (achras 
sapote), 780 tons; peaches, 350 tons; prickly pear, 
740 tons; mammees, 1,980 tons; guavas, 400 tons; 
mangos, 3,100 tons; melons, 340 tons; oranges, 
1,300 tons; bananas, 2,200 tons; watermelons, 300 
tons. Only a very small part of the fruit produced 
is made use of; many of the above-mentioned varie- 
ties grow wild in the forests of Oaxaca and a large 
quantity of them goes to waste, year after year. 
Of that which is gathered, the greater part is sent 
almost entirely to the United States. 

Fruit-growing here is conducted under the disad- 
vantages that usually result from deficient railway 
communication and that are met with in most of the 
States; further development is not needed so much 
as the utilization of what the soil already produces. 

Lands.—Oaxaca offers excellent prospects for 
business enterprise, and is one of the States which has 
the largest extent of national lands. Although, for 
the present, those lands cannot be purchased by 


126 The Republic of Mexico 


private concerns, they can be rented on exceptionally 
favorable terms for any business undertaking. In 
the region of the Isthmus alone, Oaxaca has more 
than 540,000 hectares of national lands, and as soon 
as the revision of the country estates is carried out 
there will certainly be found more in other sections. 

All sections of the State have large tracts of un- 
cultivated land, which the owners will sell for from 
forty up to seventy pesos the hectare, and it can be 
obtained even for less in locations least favored with 
means of communication. As far as the cultivation 
of corn is concerned, the old Spanish system is gen- 
erally followed in the case of the non-irrigated corn, 
viz.: that of shares, the landowner advancing every- 
thing needed for working the land, such as seed, 
implements, etc., and also for the support of the 
laborer and his family, until the time of settlement 
after the harvest. 


PUEBLA 


Crops.—This is an agricultural State, growing, in 
its flat sections, the various species of corn which, 
as a rule, are preferred in the country; it also grows 
beans, wheat, Irish potatoes, sweet potatoes, cala- 
bashes, ‘“‘chayote,” chile, radishes, red tomatoes, 
cabbage; in the southern section of the State, along 
the banks of the rivers Mixteco and Mescala, sugar- 
cane, tobacco, rice and cuffee are cultivated. Rice 
yields an annual average of 3,100 tons, and is sent 
to the different markets of the Republic, where, how- 
ever, it is not liked as well as the rice from the State 
of Michoacan which always commands better prices. 
It is well to state that the cultivation of rice in this 
State is by no means developed to the extent it 
should be, in view of the natural resources of the 


Ee eee oe ee eee se hase 


The Republic of Mexico HEM 


lands and rivers of Puebla. Sugar-cane produces 
about 300,000 tons, not including the cane that is 
turned into the various kinds of sugar, rum and 
alcohol. Coffee yields 1,139 tons, more than two- 
thirds of which goes to different regions of the Re- 
public and some to foreign countries. Sweet pota- 
toes yield 160 tons, all of which is consumed in the 
State itself; the bean crop reaches 20,000 tons; 
corn, 180,000 tons; the plantations near San Juan 
de los Llanos are famous for the production of this 
grain. Ihe species of corn grown in this State are: 
the one which is known as “‘humedo,”’ that is wet 
corn (zea mays autumna seminibus albi) on the 
banks of rivers and streams and on lands exposed 
to inundations; then there is the corn called ‘“tem- 
poral” or “secano’”’ (zea mays precox), also called 
by the farmers “‘cuarenteno,” which means “‘of forty 
days,” because the farmers believe that this kind of 
corn requires only forty days for its complete devel- 
opment; in this they are mistaken, for the fact is 
that this corn develops within fifty days from the 
time it has sprouted; the farmers plant also the 
corn called ‘“‘de riego,” i. e., irrigation corn (zea 
mays turgida) on lands which can be irrigated. To- 
bacco yields 300 tons a year, partly utilized in the 
factories of the State, the rest being sent to the large 
factories in the City of Mexico, where it is consid- 
ered the equal of the tobacco grades from the States 
of Veracruz, Tabasco and Oaxaca. The annual 
potato crop yields 9,500 tons. Puebla is the State 
which produces probably more potatoes than any 
other State in the Republic; especially are the 
regions of Teziutlan, Esperanza and adjacent sec- 
tions mostly devoted to the cultivation of that 
tuber, which is exported to the City of Mexico or 


128 The Republic of Mexico 


the port of Veracruz, whence it goes to foreign 
markets. Garlic yields 450 tons; onions, 800 tons; 
calabashes, 1,296 tons; cabbage, 200 tons; ‘“‘cha- 
yote,’’ 300 tons; radishes, 300 tons; red tomatoes, 
960 tons; chile, 6,200 tons; a large proportion of 
these products go to the City of Mexico, another to 
Pachuca, a great mining center which consumes 
much of the agricultural products, especially vege- 
tables from Puebla; some of these products go to 
Veracruz, and from there to foreign countries. 
There are cultivations which the State of Puebla 
could extend, such as that of tobacco, coffee, pota- 
toes, these being products which experience has al- 
ready shown to give excellent financial results. The 
growing of cotton could also be introduced in this 
State which has the advantage of a number of fac- 
tories already established within its borders and 
that use this kind of raw material. Cotton should 
be planted preferably in the region of Atlizco, 
Chiautla and Izucar. The cultivation of rice 
should be extended, its export being facilitated by ~ 
the road of Veracruz, whence it might go to the 
United States. Equally good results would be ob- 
tained from the introduction of chickpeas, peas, 
lentils, oats, etc. Wheat, which at present pro- 
duces 24,400 tons a year on the average, would 
yield a great deal more, if more land and energy 
were devoted to this grain. Most of the flour that 
is manufactured in the mills from the wheat of 
Puebla is exported to foreign countries. ‘The great 
plains of San Juan de los Llanos, San Andres Chal- 
chicomula, Cholula, Teziutlan, could be very well 
adapted to the increased cultivation of wheat. 
Transportation.—The principal roads for the 
moving of the crops of the State of Puebla are: the 


The Republic of Mexico 129 


railway from Puebla (city of Puebla) to Chiautla; 
the road from Puebla to Mexico City; via San 
Martin Texmelucan and Texcoco; the other rail- 
way from Puebla to Oaxaca with branch lines to 
Esperanza and Acatlan; another road from Puebla 
to Jalapa and Veracruz and the line from Mexico 
City to Puebla which touches points of the State of 
Puebla. As seen the State has quite a number of 
railroads, but the proper development of all the sec- 
tions of the State requires many other lines, leading 
to Zacapoaxtla, Izucar and other parts of the State 
which show good agricultural prospects. 

Horticulture and Orchards.—The State of Puebla 
produces a great deal of fruit, but does not use all 
that is produced in its magnificent forests and 
orchards; from among the many different classes of 
fruit we mention: the alligator-pear with an annual 
average crop of 1,500 tons; anona, 200 tons; ‘‘cap- 
ulin,” 1,400 tons; plums, 190 tons; ‘“‘chavacano,” 
340 tons; “chirimoya,’” 175 tons; peaches, 1,600 
tons; pomegranates, 186 tons; guavas, 1,000 tons; 
‘jicama,’’ 900 tons; limes, 2,100 tons; mammees, 
I,200 tons; apples, 2,000 tons; melons, 300 tons; 
oranges, 4,200 tons; nuts (the large one—juglans 
regia), and the small species (carya oliviaformis), 
290 tons; white sapotas, 1,150 tons; black sapotas, 
1,600 tons. About half of this fruit is for the 
domestic market, while the other half goes to Mex- 
ico City and the United States. 

Among the products of the agricultural industry 
we must mention particularly the sugar obtained 
from cane in the southern region of the State, es- 
pecially in Atlixco, and which yields a yearly aver- 
age of 11,300 tons, most of which goes to Mexico 
City, whence a portion is exported out of the 


130 The Republic of Mexico 


country, especially to the United States. The num- 
ber of sugar mills in the State of Puebla could be 
increased very considerably. The extension of 
sugar-cane plantations and the establishment of new 
sugar mills would certainly constitute one of the 
finest investments of foreign capital in this State. 
The sugar industry of the State has a great future 
before it, especially if new railroads are constructed 
that cross the sections of the State watered by the 
large rivers. ‘The coffee tree, already cultivated in 
the tropical zone of the State, yields on an average 
1,100 tons a year, and constitutes another important 
element in the future commercial development of 
the State. The coffee produced here is somewhat 
inferior to that obtained in the Uruapan, but it is 
superior to the grain produced in the Huasteca 
region of this State and the Huasteca of the States 
of San Luis Potosi and Hidalgo. 

Besides the regular refined sugar the cane, as in 
most sections of the Republic, furnishes also a kind 
of crude sugar, called “‘panocha”’ in some parts of 
Mexico and “‘piloncillo” in other sections. Puebla 
produces about 7,000 tons of this sugar. Quite a 
considerable quantity of the cane produced is em- 
ployed in the making of thick molasses, very much 
liked by the poor class of people. We must repeat 
that there is in the State ample opportunity for the 
establishment of an unlimited number of sugar-cane 
plantations and corresponding industries, for there 
is a ready market for all that can be produced. The 
State, which in some sections produces the ‘‘pulque- 
maguey plant’ (agave atrovirens), obtains more 
than 75,000 tons of the beverage called ‘“‘pulque,” a 
part of which is sent to the Valley of Mexico, and 
the rest consumed in the State itself. The juice of 


The Republic of Mexico PegT 


this agave plant is also turned into an unfermented 
beverage, known as “‘tlachique” or ‘“‘aguamiel,”’ of 
which about 14,000 tons is consumed in the State 
every year. 

The cultivation of fruits and vegetables should 
receive better attention in this State, since it has 
not only all the facilities to reach the best markets 
in the Republic, such as the cities of Mexico, Pa- 
chuca and others, but also to export its products 
to foreign countries. The good roads that exist al- 
ready and those that will be built in the near future 
offer sufficient guarantee for the success of the 
further development of the saat agricultural 
activities. 

Lands-—Although land on the chbles is well ex- 
ploited, there are, nevertheless, large areas of un- 
cultivated, though very fertile lands, which the farm- 
ers do not care to till, through lack of interest and 
energy or because of the shortage of laborers; they 
sell such lands at prices which range from 80 to 100 
pesos (40 to 50 dollars) the hectare. The high 
lands in the plains of Chalchicomula, San Juan de 
Llanos and the plains of Apam which belong to this 
State need irrigation; consequently irrigation dams 
must be constructed in the rivers and streams, which, 
since most of them run through narrow valleys, offer 
wonderful facilities for the purpose. In fact, all 
over the State engineering works are necessary to 
divert the water from the rivers to splendid lands 
which, properly irrigated, will yield enormous crops. 

Landowners of this State, as in other States of 
the Republic, enter into partnership agreements 
with their tenants for the cultivation of their lands. 

In the State of Puebla the investigation of titles 
to the land actually held has not as yet taken place. 


igo Lie Republic of Mexico 


The truth is that nearly all the large estates in the 
Republic hold and call their own a great deal more 
land than they legally possess, not necessarily be- 
cause the proprietors lack honesty in the matter, 
but simply because: the boundaries have been 
wrongly determined from the beginning, and that 
means in some instances ever since the Spanish col- 
onization period. ‘Therefore there is every reason 
to believe that in this State also there exist large 
areas of excess or surplus lands, of which the Fed- 
eral Government will be able to dispose for the 
best interests of the nation. 


QuUERETARO 


Crops.—The people of the State of Queretaro 
devote most of their attention to agriculture, and 
particularly to the growing of wheat, so much so 
that its wheat crop is almost as large as that ob- 
tained in the largest States that grow this grain. 
Corn, beans, chickpeas, lentils, some sugar-cane, 
vegetables, a very fine and justly famed sweet potato 
(camote), peanuts, Irish potatoes, tobacco, chile, 
calabash and other products are greatly favored by 
the farmers of this State. The lack of irrigation 
works prevents agriculture from freeing itself from 
the inconveniences of an uncertain rainfall. 

The method of planting called in the country 
‘de secano,” 7. e., which needs no watering, is fol- 
lowed, especially in the region of the “Bajio,” to 
which the city of Queretaro itself belongs; but in 
the southern section of the State, particularly in 
San Juan del Rio and Cadereyta only such crops are 
possible as require irrigation. 

The camote or sweet potato that is produced in 


The Republic of Mexico 739 


this section of the Republic enjoys a particularly high 
fame, and yields, on the average, not less than 
1,200 tons per year; most of it is cooked in ovens 
and sold under the name of “‘tatemado’’; it is of- 
fered for sale to the passengers on the trains that 
stop at Queretaro. In quality it cannot be com- 
pared with the famous ‘“‘camote de Puebla,” which 
is prepared in a different way and is claimed to suit 
the most refined taste, but nevertheless, the Quere- 
taro camote is well liked by all. Chile, another 
common product, yields 4,800 tons a year, being 
sold partly in the shape of “chile verde” (green 
chilli), partly simply dried or baked in the sun, and 
some of it preserved in vinegar. ‘The various 
species of chile are grown, viz.: ‘‘chile bolita” (cap- 
sicum cordiforme), common chile (capsicum an- 
num), “chile guajilla” (capsicum longum), and 
“chile piquin” (capsicum annum cerasiforme). The 
variety called “‘guajilla”’ also “‘tornachile”’ is the one 
that is generally preserved in vinegar. Sugar-cane 
yields 3,000 tons; of this plant some refined sugar 
and about seven hundred tons of ‘“‘piloncillo” or 
brown sugar are manufactured. Wheat is culti- 
vated in the Bajio region. The great plains of Quere- 
taro are very productive. The annual crop of wheat 
is calculated to be 14,000 tons, much of which goes 
to the flour mills of the State. ‘The flours made 
from it are as good as those of the State of Michoa- 
can, and that means that they are of the best that 
are milled in the country. Corn (the early species 
and the one called wet corn) thrives well in the 
large plains of Queretaro, yielding about 70,600 
tons a year. Peanuts yield 300 tons; Irish potatoes, 
500 tons; lentils, 100 tons; beans, 6,900 tons; chick- 
peas, 3,400 tons; lettuce, onions, radishes, cabbage, 


Td The Republic of Mexico 


beets, etc., are produced in small quantities which 
scarcely suffice the local demand. 

Of the production we have named a large portion 
is disposed of in the local market, and the rest is 
sent to other places of the Republic. Flour, corn, 
beans and barley, of which the State produces about 
5,000 tons annually, are practically all shipped out 
of the State; of the chile that is produced not less 
than 2,400 tons are sent away; not less than 800 
tons of Irish and sweet potatoes are exported. 

Many other cultivations could be introduced in 
Queretaro. Rye would do very well, since it is not 
dificult to grow and does not require much water; 
sorghum (sorghum vulgare) could be cultivated in 
the sections of San Juan del Rio and Cadereyta; 
sesame and the castor-oil plant should be tried in 
the State, since in all probability they would bring 
excellent results. 

Transportation——The productive regions of this 
State enjoy the advantages which make agricultural 
products so much more valuable, that is, rapid means 
of transportation. ‘The territory of the State is 
crossed in the direction of its greatest dimension 
by the railroad lines which run from Mexico City 
to the border towns of Laredo and El Paso, and by 
the one that runs to Guadalajara, also from Mexico 
City. To this favorable circumstance must be added 
the fact that it takes only six hours by rail from 
Mexico City to the city of Queretaro; consequently 
business men have all the facilities to handle their 
merchandise and products without much expense. 

Horticulture and Orchards.—Queretaro is also a 
producer of fine fruits; its alligator-pears are packed 
in special baskets and sold to the passengers on the 
trains that touch different points of the State, es- 


The Republic of Mexico I35 


pecially at the city of Queretaro; the crop of alli- 
gator-pears amounts to no less than 700 tons; limes, 
produce 600 tons; strawberries, 30 tons; guavas, 90 
tons; “chirimoya,’ 70 tons; plantains, 150 tons; 
peaches, 400 tons; ‘‘chavacano,”’ 240 tons; “‘cap- 
ulin” (prunus capuli), 540 tons; pears, 200 tons; 
figs, 300 tons. 

Much of this fruit is exported from the State to 
different parts of the Republic, especially to the 
cities and towns of the north of the country. 

The growing of fruit should be extended in the 
State; the beautiful climate of Queretaro, the great 
fertility of its lands, and the facilities to move the 
crops are reasons which support such an assertion. 
The same applies to horticulture and the growing 
of vegetables, of which at present the farmers of 
Queretaro do not produce more than is needed for 
the local demand. 

Lands—As in the rest of the country so also here 
we notice that large areas of cultivable land are not 
utilized, due, it is claimed to the scarcity of laborers 
and capital, and the lack of proper markets for the 
products. Nevertheless, a great change has taken 
place all over Mexico in recent years, and the people 
begin to awaken to the fact that the soil of the 
country holds great latent forces which can easily 
be made to contribute to the rapid economic devel- 
opment of the land. As a rule only such tracts 
of land are cultivated as offer no difficulties of any 
kind, while the lands that require certain prepara- 
tion, irrigation or drainage, etc., are entirely neg- 
lected. Consequently there are large stretches of 
uncultivated land all over the State, in the section 
of the Bajio as well as in the south. Nearly all of 
this land requires irrigation, so much neglected up 


130 The Republic of Mexico 


to now and yet so useful for the development of 
agriculture. Dams could be constructed in several 
canyons and gorges of its mountains, in order to 
retain and distribute the waters from the rivers as 
well as from the streams formed by the very abun- 
dant precipitation during the rainy season. 

As is mostly the case in Mexico, those that possess 
large estates, do not care to sell any of their land; 
nevertheless, there has been noted a change in this 
policy, since the landowners themselves begin to 
understand that the country’s welfare as well as 
their own may be greatly increased by having the 
largest possible amount of the land properly ex- 
ploited. Cultivable land is worth from 60 to 80 
pesos (30-40 dollars) the hectare; land that has 
been under cultivation is a little higher in price, 
while the entirely unimproved land costs less. 

The Federal Government has no land in this 
State. 


QUINTANO Roo 


Crops.—Tilling of the soil to any considerable 
extent could hardly be expected in so vast a country 
as this Territory with scarcely any inhabitants. 
There are a few coconut plantations along the coast, 
one having 200,000 trees, another 20,000, and still 
another 10,000 trees; then there are a few planta- 
tions of lesser importance. Corn, beans, sugar-cane, 
coffee, plantains, pumpkins and pineapples are 
planted, but for local consumption only, in the 
neighborhood of Payo Obispo, Bacalar, and partly 
in the section of the country forming the limits of 
the State of Yucatan. Pineapples are grown to a 
considerable extent on the island of Cozumel which 
geographically belongs to this Territory. The 


The Republic of Mexico B37. 


pineapples are exported to the State of Yucatan 
and the coconuts to Belize, British Honduras, 
whence part of them are shipped to the United 
States. The soil of Quintana Roo is largely com- 
posed of vegetable mold or humus, with very little 
rock and consequently easily cultivated with modern 
agricultural implements. ‘The ordinary cotton and 
the cotton-tree, tobacco, rubber-trees, white-mul- 
berry trees, the castor-oil plant and the vanilla-vine 
could be cultivated with the very best results. 


Transportation—As we have already stated 
Quintana Roo is not developed in any way, so that 
there is not a single railroad or highway worthy of 
the name; but there are a few small ports, such as 
Bacalar and Payo Obispo, from which vessels com- 
municate with the British Colony of Belize, the 
neighboring islands and the ports of the State of 
Yucatan. 


Horticulture and Orchards ——The native people 
of the Territory do not engage in vegetable garden- 
ing, such as we know it in civilized regions, nor are 
fruit-trees cultivated, for, as in the case of general 
agriculture, the reduced number of Indian inhabi- 
tants do not care to plant or cultivate anything be- 
yond their actual daily need. Of course, all the 
tropical fruit-trees, such as mangos, sapotas, guavas, 
“guayas,’ India plums, “guanabanoes,’”’ anonas, 
‘“nances”’ and others could easily be planted and cer- 
tainly will be planted, with good financial results, by 
a new population of immigrants who will thus re- 
deem enormous areas of splendid lands. Stretches 
of land appropriate for the cultivation of bananas 
on a large scale are found all along the coast of the 
Territory, with a fair possibility of being extended 


138 The Republic of Mexico 


towards the interior. Oranges and lemons grow 
wild in this country. 

Quintana Roo being a Territory, not a State, the 
sale or lease of land depends entirely upon the 
Federal Government, which certainly would be glad 
to give outsiders all possible chances and facilities 
to undertake the development and exploitation of 
the richest soil on earth. Our opinion is that 
settlers, having some capital to start with and the 
necessary energy and perseverance, would do splen- 
didly within a relatively short time, planting ba- 
nanas, pineapples, coconut-trees and the vanilla- 
vine. 


SAN Luis Poros! 


Crops.—There are in this State three zones, en- 
tirely dissimilar as far as cultivation is concerned: 
the Huasteca region, which is very rich and in 
which as many as three crops a year can be ob- 
tained; here coffee, sugar-cane and tropical fruits 
are cultivated chiefly; the central section, with very 
rich lands located in great open valleys, in which are 
grown corn, beans, wheat, chile, camote (sweet po- 
tato), tomatoes, etc.; the Salada section, almost 
barren, which only produces pasture and, in a very 
few places, corn and other cereals. 

The crops of the State are considerable and may 
be calculated as follows: coffee (type ‘‘caracolillo” 
and ‘“‘Huasteco’’), 2,000 tons; sugar-cane, 38,500 
tons, of which a part is converted into “‘panocha”’ es- 
timated at 9,000 tons, some sugar, and the rest sent 
to the market in the form of sugar-cane; watermel- 
ons, 300 tons; cantaloupes, Ioo tons; corn, 200,000 
tons; beans, 60,000 tons; wheat, 900 tons; chile, 600 
tons; onions, 260 tons; sweet potatoes, 1,900 tons. 


Ee 


The Republic of Mexico 139 


Of these quantities a goodly portion remains in 
the country; and the rest leaves the State to satisfy 
the needs of the port of Tampico, of Monterrey, 
Aguascalientes and other places. Cotton is culti- 
vated, although not on a large scale, in the Huasteca 
section, the entire production being consumed in the 
factories of San Luis, which also import a consider- 
able quantity from outside. The coffee production 
greatly exceeds the domestic requirements and, little 
by little, good markets are being opened up, for 
which reason the farmers are considering the ad- 
visability of increasing the area devoted to this crop. 
The installation of machinery for the treatment of 
sugar-cane will result in the increased cultivation of 
this plant and will give much better results than 
those obtained at present. ‘The WHluasteca dis- 
trict should pay much more attention to the culture 
of cotton. That which is produced there is of ex- 
cellent quality, and the richness of the soil and the 
abundance of water for irrigation purposes would 
greatly facilitate an increased production of this 
plant. It would be of great advantage to cultivate 
the mulberry-tree for the silkworm industry, espe- 
cially in the regions of Santa Maria del Rio and 
Rio Verde, in which places it is already grown, 
though not to the extent which might be desired and 
which the quality of the soil makes possible. 

All the agricultural industries of the State can be 
further developed. Those of the Huasteca section 
can be increased by a better utilization of the present 
returns, so that even larger quantities than those we 
have mentioned, will not be wasted, but fully com- 
mercialized. Fruit is particularly wasted for want 
of a proper system of gathering it and the lack 
of rapid means of transportation. Corn, beans and 


I4O The Republic of Mexico 


wheat could be grown on a larger scale, also other 
crops, such as the chickpea, which is an excellent 
food, the common pea, broad beans and many 
others, could be introduced in the central regions of 
the State. 

Transportation.—Although the State of San Luis 
Potosi has two railways, it has not sufficient trans- 
port facilities to move its crops, which results, as 
we have stated before, in a large part of these crops 
being wasted. ‘The most serviceable line for the 
transportation of its crops is the Aguascalientes to 
Tampico line; about 400 kilometers of railroad 
track of this line pass through the richest sections, 
and there is a branch line which goes to Rio Verde 
(starting from San Bartolo) and covers another 42 
kilometers of agricultural land of the very finest 
grade. On the other hand the railroad which serves 
this territory is the most suitable for export trafic, 
as the latter is directed principally to Tampico. 

Horticulture and Orchards——Fruit is included 
among the crops of the State which enjoy a good 
market. In San Luis they gather about 1,200 tons 
of plums, 300 tons of peaches, 400 tons of guavas, 
450 tons of figs, 1,500 tons of limes, 690 tons of 
lemons, 500 tons of mangos, 200 tons of apples, 
200 tons of quinces, 4,500 tons of oranges, 150 tons 
of peron (a kind of apple), 4,400 tons of bananas, 
9,000 tons of prickly pears, 200 tons of grapes, 280 
tons of sapotas, part of this fruit being consumed in 
the State itself and part being sent to other markets, 
such as Tampico, Monterrey, Saltillo, Aguascalien- 
tes, Zacatecas and many others. Part of the fruit 
which reaches Tampico from San Luis Potosi is ex- 
ported to the United States. 

It is certain that at present the State produces 





The Republic of Mexico | I4I 


more than it can gather in, in the Huasteca region. 
In order to obtain better results it is necessary to 
have lines of railroad crossing that section in all 
directions. With railroads available, cultivation 
could be intensified. In the center of the State it 
will be possible to increase the amount of wheat 
raised, especially if the dam, which has been pro- 
jected in the Colimote section, and which is one of 
the most important utility works in the State, is 
rapidly constructed. Horticulture also permits of 
further development, as it has a good market at 
Tampico and the oil-field district, which could be 
supplied with great facility. Fruit cultivation, be- 
fore being extended, needs some means of utilizing 
that which is already produced, and that even now 
amounts to much more than can be marketed. Large 
fruit-canning factories could be established here 
with the certainty of success. 

Lands.—All over the State there are large tracts 
of uncultivated land, because only a small part of 
the arable land is tilled. In fact, all the estates have 
uncultivated lots, as the farmers plant only parts of 
their rich lands. The Huasteca lands (i. e., the land 
in the section of the State called the ‘‘Huasteca”’) 
need not only irrigation but also drainage; those 
situated in the center need irrigation works in par- 
ticular, there being already a project approved by 
an Act of Congress, authorizing the construction 
of the Colimote dam, for which a company has al- 
ready been formed with sufficient capital to carry 
out the plan. The whole of the State expects to be 
benefited by this undertaking. The farmers will 
then be able to double or treble their cultivations, 
thus giving rise to new industries and the employ- 
ment of labor. 


T42 The Republic of Mexico 


In the Huasteca section the properties are very 
much cut up; here, the farms, as a rule, cannot be 
called large estates (latifundios) and are in many 
cases jointly owned by several persons. But, even 
under these circumstances, the land is so rich, so 
abundant in its returns, that the properties could be 
subdivided still further, giving an excellent oppor- 
tunity for enterprising men to obtain immensely rich 
lands. In the central part of the State there are a 
few properties which are extremely large, and which, 
according to the Agrarian Law of the State, must be 
reduced in area. The owners must sell the lands 
which they do not cultivate and which are in excess 
of the acreage allowed. This circumstance gives 
one an opportunity to acquire lands at a reasonable 
price, less than forty pesos the hectare of cultivable 
land and under ten pesos the hectare for land which 
is considered merely fit for pasture. 

Besides being transferred by sale which is abso- 
lute and gives a good title, and is effected under the 
most favorable conditions, according to the grade 
of land purchased, the region in which it 1s located, 
its proximity to means of communication, etc., 
arable, fruit-growing and timber lands may be rented 
from the owners. Such lands so vary in quality that 
there are some in the Huasteca region which cost 
one hundred pesos a year rent and more, per hec- 
tare, while there are others which are sold outright 
for fifty pesos a hectare, or even less. The former 
practice is particularly common in the section which 
is considered oil-bearing, where the owners do not 
wish to sell, or do so at fabulous prices. In the 
center of the State much easier terms can be ob: 
tained; here the owners are willing to rent the lands, 
or contract for the farming of same on a half-share 


a i ee ee ee ee ee eee 


aR nublic of Mexico | 143 


basis. In the latter case the owner provides the land, 
the yoke of oxen, the seed, the farm implements, 
etc., and the value of his investment is deducted at 
the time of dividing the proceeds of the crops. 

In almost every part of the State there are Gov- 
ernment lands, although in no case of very large ex- 
tent. At the present time the Federal Government 
is not disposing of its land by sale, but is renting it 
on very easy terms. Such terms are at times varied 
by the Government to suit some special case. 


SINALOA 


Crops.—The lands of the State of Sinaloa are 
very rich and capable of producing anything. ‘The 
climate is tropical along the coast which is high and 
well defined. The products of this section of the 
Mexican Union are many, but those preferred by 
the farmers are the following: sugar-cane, cotton, 
peanuts, sweet potatoes, chile, beans, chickpeas, 
corn, Irish potatoes, wheat, tobacco, vegetables, etc. 

The cultivation of sugar-cane increases every day, 
and there are already several mills which manufac- 
ture sugar, molasses and “piloncillo,” or brown 
sugar. Ihe average yearly crop of cane is 72,000 
tons, exclusive of the cane that is turned into sugar 
(18,500 tons), piloncillo (4,600 tons) and mo- 
lasses (2,000 tons). The cotton that is planted 
yields 600 tons; this quantity will be greatly aug- 
mented, as soon as the farmers devote themselves 
more to the cultivation of this plant. There is, 
true enough, the difficulty of shipping the product to 
the markets of the Republic at reasonably low prices. 
Good crops are obtained from the peanut, which the 
people begin to utilize, by turning it into edible oil; 


I44 The Republic of Mexico 


it yields somewhat more than 900 tons. Sweet pota- 
toes yield 500 tons; ‘“‘cascalote’ (a tanning prod- 
uct), 2,300 tons; chile (preferably the “capsicum 
annum’’ species), 2,000 tons; beans, 11,000 tons; 
chickpeas in the cultivation of which the people here 
follow the methods in use in the State of Sonora, 
5,000 tons; corn (preferably the species “zea mays 
turgida” and “zea mays precox’’), 56,300 tons; 
Irish potatoes, 300 tons; ‘‘tomatillo”’ or small toma- 
toes, the botanic name of which is “physalis angu- 
lata,’ 120 tons; calabashes, 10,000 tons; Castilian 
calabashes, 2,300 tons; onions, 400 tons; lettuce, 
230 tons; cabbage (brassica oleracea), 160 tons; 
beets (beta vulgaris), 60 tons; carrots, 80 tons. 

At least one-third of this crop is taken to dif- 
ferent places in the Republic and to foreign coun- 
tries; its principal consumers are the people of the 
State of Durango, chiefly those who live in the 
mountains of the Sierra Madre, that is in San 
Dimas, Tamazula, Pueblo Nuevo and in the set- 
tlements belonging to the districts of these towns; 
and those in the several towns in the southeastern 
section of the State of Chihuahua and the south of 
the State of Sonora. The State of Nayarit and the 
Territory of Baja California are also good markets 
for the products of Sinaloa. 

A small part of the cotton is utilized in the spin- 
ning mills and weaving factories of the State which 
are not of much importance, more than three-quar- 
ters of the production being exported to foreign 
countries. 

As to the products obtained in the State of Sinaloa 
we must make special mention of “‘mezcal,” a bey- 
erage prepared from the maguey plant (agave as- 
peruna), of which 3,500 tons are turned out; then 


4 
+ 





The Republic of Mexico 145 


of the “ixtle” plant (agave falcata or ‘“‘guapilla’’), 
which yields a valuable fiber, from which a number 
of different articles, such as cords, etc., are manu- 
factured. 

The following cultivations could be undertaken 
with absolute success in the State of Sinaloa: the 
‘‘zapupe,’ along the rivers Sinaloa, Fuerte, Hu- 
maya, [Tamazula, Piaxtla, Elota, Baluarte, especially 
in its course near Durango, due to the circumstance 
that they run through protected and warm valleys. 
The “henequen” (another fiber-yielding plant which 
constitutes the wealth of the State of Yucatan) 
would grow in the high sierras, especially in the 
table-land of Las Hormigas; the Japanese cane 
(tripsacum latifolium), which has already been in- 
troduced in the State of Tabasco and which in this 
State could be cultivated in the section watered by 
the lower course of the rivers Baluarte, Las Canas, 
Sacramento and others; ginger (zingiber officinale) 
which can be acclimatized in the vicinity of Mazat- 
lan; the ‘“ixpengua’”’ (dioscorea convolvulacea), 
which grows in the State of Chiapas, where it is 
also called “‘mother-corn’’ (madre del maiz), the 
tuberous root of which is used by the natives to make 
different foods; this plant would do well on the 
borders of the State of Nayrat, on the low and 
swampy lands near the Las Canas river. Ginger 
would undoubtedly give good results in those lands 
where rosemary (rosmarnius officinalis) and sweet 
basil (ocymum basilicum) grow; both of these plants 
grow well in Sinaloa. ‘The yucca-plant (manihot 
palmata aipi) should also be planted in this State 
which has good soil, a hot climate along the coasts 
and splendid irrigation facilities; furthermore the 
jute (corchorus sp.), and the vanilla-vine, in the 


140 The Republic of Mexico 


hotter sections to the south of Rosario and San 
Ignacio, but on the last declension of the Sierra 
Madre; the “jojoba” (simmondsia californiana) 
and so many useful plants that grow in the torrid 
zone. | 

Transportation.—For the moving of its crops 
the State of Sinaloa depends on the Mexican South- 
ern Pacific Railroad, which, starting from Nogales, 
Sonora, on the border line with the United States, 
goes to Tepic, State of Nayarit; also on the ships 
that visit its ports and on its pack-animals, such as 
mules and donkeys that carry the products over the 
Sierra Madre mountain chains. There is, therefore, 
a great need of more and better means of trans- 
portation. 

Horticulture and Orchards.—This State is one of 
those that is capable of producing the largest fruit 
crops. At present a considerable proportion of the 
fruit is lost in the forests, chiefly due to the shortage 
of labor, the lack of roads and of some method of 
preserving such fruit as cannot be consumed in the 
State or exported in time. 

The following quantities of fruit are produced: 
plums, 600 tons; guavas, 730 tons; peaches, 360 
tons; dates, 240 tons; “‘datil cimarron”’ (agave sp.), 
100 tons; oranges, 2,300 tons; alligator-pears, 1,200 
tons; “aguamas” (bromelia pinguin), 120 tons; 
lemons, 230 tons; mangos, 1,800 tons; papaw, 
250 tons; mammees, 100 tons; “‘pitahaya’”’ (cereus 
variabilis), 300 tons; plantains, 4,000 tons; melons, 
2,000 tons; watermelons, 6,000 tons; ‘‘huamuchil”’ 
(pithecolobium dulce), 135 tons; quinces, 140 tons. 

The State does a considerable export trade in 
fruits; at least three-quarters of the above quanti- 
ties are taken to different markets, especially to the 


The Republic of Mexico 147 


State of Durango, and quite a substantial part to the 
United States. 

The cultivation of vegetables is carried on under 
the same difficulties which hinder the proper devel- 
opment of any other agricultural branch in this 
State, and which we have frequently referred to, 
namely, that there are not enough roads to ship the 
produce in time. 

Lands.—All over the State large areas of lands 
are not cultivated, notwithstanding the richness of 
the soil and the irrigation facilities. 

The sections in which these lands are situated, 
are part of large estates, for here, as in the rest of 
the Republic, the policy has prevailed ever since the 
epoch of the Spanish Colonization of concentrating 
excessively large estates in the hands of a few pro- 
prietors. 

Nearly all the land in the State is in good condi- 
tion as to moisture; only in some parts along the 
coast is there need of draining. 

The landowners are at present forced to sell 
parts of their land which they offer at prices which 
vary from 200 to 300 pesos (100-150 dollars) 
the hectare; in some instances they ask even more. 
The unirrigated lands are, as everywhere else in the 
Republic, cultivated on the share plan, while the 
irrigated areas are generally kept and cultivated by 
the owners themselves. 

There are some lands, the administration of 
which is in the hands of the Federal Govern- 
ment: There are 3,000 hectares in Tubares, 1,000 
hectares in Palo Verde, 1,000 hectares in San 
Jose de los Soberanos, 1,400 hectares in Cam- 
pomos, 1,700 hectares in Ojo de Agua, 7,000 
hectares in Azacoche and 1,300 hectares in Bay- 


I48 The Republic of Mexico 


mena. It is possible that a careful demarcation of 
the lands will result in more Government-owned 
areas. 


SONORA 


Crops.—Agriculture in this State is typical in 
many respects, particularly because it is here that 
most or at least a very large part of chickpeas is 
produced. Sonora produces more chickpeas than 
all the rest of the States of Mexico put together. 
Not much attention is given to the cultivation of 
beans. As compared with the crops obtained in 
other States of Mexico that are considerably smaller 
in extent very little corn is produced. Sweet pota- 
toes, peanuts, ‘‘cascalote,” sugar-cane, cotton, coffee, 
wheat, tobacco and a few other articles are also 
produced in this State. 

The chickpea (cicer arietinum), of a large and 
nutritious quality and the principal product of the 
State yields on an average every year not less than 
75,000 tons, a large proportion of which goes to 
Cuba, Porto Rico, and even to Spain, where the So- 
nora chickpea is in great favor. It is not so long 
ago that the cultivation of cotton was started, the 
annual crop being about 500 tons, part of which 
serves as a raw material for the different factories 
established in the State. The soil of Sonora is so 
adapted to the cultivation of this plant that the 
latter grows here to the size of a tree, loaded with 
cotton in the proportion to its size. A little more 
energy on the part of the farmer and proper irri- 
gation facilities will develop the cultivation of cot- 
ton to an extraordinary extent. 

Sugar-cane is grown in the open plains of the 
Mayo and Yaqui rivers, the annual crop being about 


ee es = 


The Republic of Mexico I49 


4,500 tons, without counting the quantities turned 
into sugar (1,000 tons), ‘“‘panocha”’ or crude sugar 
(780 tons) and rum (240 tons). This is another 
cultivation which is just developing. The sweet 
potato yields 200 tons a year; cascalote, 480 tons; 
beans, 3,000 tons; tobacco, 340 tons; Irish potatoes, 
2,300 tons; corn, 32,500 tons; calabashes, 390 tons; 
onions, 320 tons; peas (pisum sativum), 2,300 
tons; red tomatoes, 240 tons; green tomatoes, 410 
tons; beets, 250 tons; lentils, 540 tons; horebeans 
(vicia faba), 135 tons; lettuce, 245 tons. 

These crops are largely consumed in the local 
market, the rest being sent to foreign countries, 
especially the United States. Of the chickpea crop 
not less than 38,000 tons are exported, while the 
export of the other products amounts to about one- 
fifth of the total production. 

As we have already stated, the soil of Sonora can 
produce a great many different plants; it would be 
profitable to devote some attention to the cultiva- 
tion of the yucca-plant; that of peanuts should be 
enlarged; the growing of coffee has been tried with 
very good results, therefore more land should be 
devoted to it; then there is plenty of room for the 
growing of more cotton. “Henequen,”’ or sisal-hemp, 
should be planted in the low sections on the north- 
eastern coasts; the same applies to “‘zapupe,” on the 
banks of the large rivers Mayo, Yaqui, Sonora and 
Altar; furthermore the “jojoba,” which grows very 
well in the Territory of Baja California, should be 
planted; just like the peanut, it can be turned into 
a fine edible oil. Here, as well as in all other 
hot sections of the country, the growing of alfalfa 
should be undertaken, as it is an excellent fodder for 
cattle. 


I50 The Republic of Mexico 


Transportation.—The principal line over which 
the State of Sonora carries its crops is the Mexican 
Southern Pacific Railroad which crosses the State 
in its largest dimension, besides several branch lines 
that penetrate the territory of the State to some ex- 
tent. Its principal port is Guaymas, situated in one 
of the most beautiful and convenient bays of the 
country; it is the only port of entry of the State; 
then there is the port of Agiabampo for the coast- 
wise trade, which also handles a considerable quan- 
tity of products. 

Horticulture and Orchards.—As a fruit-produc- 
ing country this State is justly famed; in this regard 
it is greatly favored by the fact that the United 
States market is so near at hand. 

The Sonora fruit crops are as follows: oranges, 
9,000 tons; guavas, 300 tons; peaches, 760 tons; 
pomegranates, 230 tons; figs, 250 tons; limes, 500 
tons; melons, 1,700 tons; watermelons, 8,000 tons; 
white sapotas, 100 tons; yellow sapotas, 80 tons. 
Of course, other kinds of fruit are also produced, 
but in smaller quantities. 

More than half of the fruit mentioned above 
goes to the United States, where it is very much 
liked. 

Fruit cultivation is certainly one of the branches 
of agriculture which could be still more developed in 
this State; for this it is above all necessary to make 
the proper selection of species and seeds. Thus, for 
example, the seedless orange is generally preferred 
on the market, therefore the farmers should apply 
their efforts to producing this kind of orange. Asa 
rule most of the fruit in Sonora could be of a larger 
size, easily attained, in view of the very excellent 
soil and the favorable climate that characterize the 


The Republic of Mexico I5I 


State. Horticulture in general and the growing of 
vegetables in particular should receive more atten- 
tion on the part of the farmers in the best irrigated 
areas, since there is a ready market for all that can 
be produced. 

Lands.—Large tracts of uncultivated land are 
found also in this State, not only in those sections 
where cultivation is entirely impracticable, but even 
along the banks of the rivers Yaqui, Mayo, Altar, 
Sonora and Magdalena. The difficulty is that there 
are not enough farmers in the State, and the short- 
age of labor for agricultural work has greatly inter- 
fered with the development of Sonora. Most of 
the uncultivated lands need well-planned systems 
of irrigation, such as have been built in the region 
of the Yaqui river and have made possible the cul- 
tivation of various crops. Sugar-cane, for instance, 
grows here as high as ten feet, sorghum grows won- 
derfully, tobacco reaches five feet, the ramie fiber- 
plant has prospered whenever it has been planted. 
The northwestern section of the State is the rough- 
est; there are great sandy deserts where the rivers 
are lost before they reach the ocean, being entirely 
absorbed by deep sand. In these areas nothing 
grows, not even palm-trees, which generally thrive 
well in sandy ground. A good, systematized irriga- 
tion is what is needed. Complete plans have al- 
ready been adopted for the construction of irriga- 
tion works, in which the Federal Government is to 
spend millions of dollars. 

The landowners in this State are as little inclined 
to sell their properties as in other sections of Mex- 
ico, but whenever they do they ask as much as 150 
and 200 pesos the hectare in the region of the Yaqui 
river and in the vicinity of towns and large settle- 


152 The Republic of Mexico 


ments along the railroad lines; from 50 to 80 pesos, 
when the land is situated at some distance from the 
railway, and much less in the rest of the State. 

The Federal Government possesses large tracts 
of land in Sonora. The canceled concession of Mr. 
Manuel Martinez del Rio has released about 75,000 
hectares; furthermore, the Government holds the 
following lands: In the district of Zetazora, 12,000 
hectares; in that of Corral de Espinas, 30,000 hec- 
tares; in Chipajora, 28,000 hectares; in San Juan 
de Madrid, 27,000 hectares; in the Rancho Que- 
mado district, 12,000 hectares. All told, the Federal 
Government can dispose in Sonora of more than half 
a million hectares of arable land. 


TABASCO 


Crops.—The inhabitants of this State devote 
themselves largely to cultivations peculiar to the 
tropic zone. Rice, cocoa, coffee, sugar-cane, the yucca- 
plant, pepper, tobacco, coconut, oranges, the banana 
species called in the country ‘“‘roatan,” fine woods, 
etc., are their chief products. 

Rice, of which the State might be the principal 
producer yields some 890 tons a year, several of the 
other States of the Republic exceeding it in this 
respect; cocoa produces 2,800 tons of the best 
grades, exceeded only by the celebrated Soconusco 
cocoa, of Chiapas. Coffee gives 410 tons; sugar- 
cane, of which also it might become the first pro- 
ducer in the country yields only 25,000 tons, which 
is considerably less than in many other units in the 
Federation; cane juice syrup (molasses), 2,300 tons; 
“panocha”’ (crude kind of sugar), 5,000 tons; sugar, 
2,500 tons, all of them products of the sugar-cane in- 


The Republic of Mexico 153 


dustry, and of all of which the State could easily 
become a great producer, reaping great benefits for 
the trouble of planting these articles, the very 
abundance of which would make one forget all the 
discomforts of the climate and surroundings. Hands 
are needed to unearth the immense treasures which 
are buried in the rich soil, and also capital properly 
handled by enterprising men, to obtain large and 
splendid results. Corn is also cultivated and gives 
three and even four crops a year, the species pre- 
ferred being, as is natural, the large or “irrigated” 
variety, as the soil and other conditions of Tabasco 
are not suitable for spare types of corn, which are 
sown throughout the larger part of Mexico. In this 
branch of agriculture, Tabasco produces some 34,- 
000 tons; beans yield nearly 8,000 tons; yucca, 325 
tons; chile or pepper, 35 tons. We enumerate only 
those agricultural products that are worth mention- 
ing. The larger part of these is shipped mainly 
abroad. Considerably more than half of the cocoa 
is exported. “Tobacco, which has been thought to 
have originally come from Tabasco, of which it 
bears the name in a corrupted form, offers another 
field in which the State could be the leading pro- 
ducer. At present it yields about 350 tons of ex- 
cellent quality, which is sent out of the State. 

Many remunerative varieties of cultivation could 
be introduced into the State, but before everything 
else it is necessary that those already grown be de- 
veloped, for which task alone workers are needed. 
Vanilla, which is growing with so much success in 
the State of Veracruz, is beginning to claim attention 
in this region. 

Transportation.—The crops grown in this State 
are transported by the large waterways formed by 


154 The Republic of Mexico 


its rivers, which will possibly be improved by en- 
gineering works so as to make them more useful 
and extensive. 

Horticulture and Orchards —The fruits produced 
in Tabasco are most abundant and of unsurpassable 
quality. The coconut tree yields 1,500 tons; the 
banana, 16,000 tons; oranges, 600 tons; mangos, 500 
tons; plums, 400 tons; and very many others which 
are scarcely turned to any account; here the same 
thing happens as in many other States where there 
are insufficient means of transportation: there is an 
enormous waste of fruit products. In Tabasco, 
nevertheless, the non-utilization of the fruit is not 
exactly due to the lack of rapid means of transporta- 
tion, but rather to the shortage of workers or, at 
any rate, to the insufficient activity of the present 
crop-gatherers. All the fruits grown in the State 
have a splendid market and can be readily shipped 
from the port of Frontera, so that the problem is 
entirely and exclusively one of “hands.” 

The larger portion of the aforementioned fruits 
is shipped to other parts of the country and to the 
United States, especially the banana. 

There is no necessity in Tabasco of extending any 
of the branches of the fruit-growing industry or 
horticulture. The State yields an immense quantity 
of wild fruit, which has never been turned to ac- 
count. The problem is to utilize what is already 
produced, rather than to further increase the im- 
mensely abundant output. 

Lands.—The whole State has land suitable for 
cultivation, and it may be stated with assurance that 
there is the widest field for every kind of cultivation, 
for the figures relating to crops show that not a 
twentieth part of them is made use of. In some 


The Republic of Mexico ee 


places there are Federal lands, and, according to 
figures at hand, these cannot be less than 400,000 
hectares, suitable for successful colonization. 

There is no irrigation problem in Tabasco. 
Droughts are impossible where streams are so ex- 
tremely abundant and widespread. 

It is not difficult to acquire land in Tabasco, al- 
though at present, owing to the discovery of rich 
deposits of petroleum, the owners attach an en- 
tirely new and extremely high value to their lands; 
namely that of the subsoil. 

Owners also rent out their lands; this they prefer 
to the selling of rich lands which they own. The 
Government has a large area of Federal land, and 
although the Mexican people are not in favor of the 
acquisition of these lands by foreigners, lands can 
be leased on advantageous terms. ‘The contracts are 
for long terms, not less than three years, which 
permits the profitable working of the land. 


TAMAULIPAS 


Crops.—Agriculture, though not neglected, has 
not progressed so much as it has in other States of 
the Republic; the soil of ‘Tamaulipas is, neverthe- 
less, well adapted to many cultivations. Coftee, 
cotton, sugar-cane, corn, beans, Irish potatoes, sweet 
potatoes, peanuts, rice, tobacco and sarsaparilla, 
are the articles to which the farmers in this State 
pay most attention. | 

Cotton produces annually, on the average, about 
I,000 tons; sweet potatoes, 500 tons; Irish potatoes, 
300 tons; corn (the various species of it), 60,000 
tons; beans, 3,000 tons; chickpeas, 4,000 tons; rice, 
1,400 tons; peanuts, 300 tons; “ixtle’”’ (agave sp.), 


150 The Republic of Mexico 


6,500 tons; sugar-cane, as such, 4,600 tons, the same 
turned into sugar, 1,300 tons; “‘piloncillo” or crude 
sugar, 5,000 tons; molasses, 600 tons. 

Of these products only small quantities of cotton, 
tobacco, ixtle and rice, leave the State; not less than 
400 tons of cotton go to the factories of the State 
of Veracruz; practically all of the 450 tons of 
tobacco which the State produces, is sent to the States 
of Nueva Leon and Coahuila. ‘The other products 
are consumed in the local market, in fact, they do 
not even meet the domestic demand, so that very 
large quantities have to be brought in from other 
sections of the country. The coffee crops yield 
about 300 tons, all of which is consumed in the 
State. 

New cultivations which could be introduced in 
the State are those of the torrid zone; cocoa, vanilla 
and rubber-trees should be planted in the regions 
irrigated by the Panuco and Tamesi rivers; the cul- 
tivation of cotton should be extended as much as 
possible; the same applies to chile or pepper which 
already grows in the State, but is as yet little ex- 
ploited. 

Wheat could be introduced in the northern sec- 
tion of the State, towards the regions irrigated by 
the Conchos river; the same applies to rye, barley 
and the cultivation of fodder plants. 

Transportation—The State has various facilities 
for the moving of its crops: the railroad from 
Monterrey to Tampico, that from Monterrey to 
Matamoros, the Panuco river, the steamers on the 
lagoon, called “laguna Madre” and the large liners 
that come to the port of Tampico. 

Horticulture and Orchards —Much fruit is pro- 
duced in the State, especially in the regions irrigated 


The Republic of Mexico 157 


by the rivers and in the section of the State near the 
region called the ‘‘Huasteca Potosina.’”’ The prin- 
cipal fruits are: the aguacate or alligator-pear, 
which yields about 600 tons a year; red plums, 240 
tons; yellow plums, 320 tons; ‘‘chicosapota,” 90 
tons; “‘chirimoya,’”’ 140 tons; peaches, 300 tons; 
quinces, 200 tons; guavas, 400 tons; mammees, 80 
tons; melons, 700 tons; watermelons, 1,200 tons; 
nuts, 100 tons; Indian pears (opuntia ficus Indica 
and opuntia leucotricha), 900 tons; pineapples, 200 
tons, papaws, 40 tons. 

Most of this fruit is consumed in the State, but 
some of it is exported to the United States. 

The fruit-growing industry should be enlarged as 
much as possible, since the nearby United States is 
a splendid consumer. It is claimed that all agricul- 
tural pursuits are seriously affected by the tendency 
to engage in other business activities connected with 
exploitations of the petroliferous layers. Horti- 
culture is almost totally neglected, so much so that 
practically all the vegetables that are consumed have 
to be brought in from other sections of the country, 
while the State could easily produce three times as 
much as it needs. 

Lands.—These statements prove that there are 
large areas of land in the State which are not cul- 
tivated, many lots awaiting for the engineer to do 
his perforating work in search of petroleum. The 
lands are excellent, but the owners would not sell at 
any price; they rent out some of the land at 150 to 
300 pesos the hectare a year. In spite of all this 
craze for oil, much land could be profitably cul- 
tivated, because of the fact that irrigation presents 
no difficulties in this State. 

The Federal Government possesses some 5,000 


I58 The Republic of Mexico 


hectares in the Acuna district. Possibly there are 
additional lands in the State which in time will be 
declared to belong to the Government. 


TLAXCALA 


Crops.—Agricultural activity centers about the 
raising of corn, beans, wheat, potatoes, chickling- 
vetch, rye, haricot beans, barley, maguey and cer- 
tain fruits. 

Maguey is cultivated largely, and the pulque-fer- 
menting vats of Tlaxcala have the reputation of 
turning out good pulque. The pulque-producing 
area is located in that part of the Apan plains so 
admirably adapted to the growth of the “agave 
atrovirens,’ which here finds the natural conditions 
under which it thrives best. Tlaxcala produces 
125,000 tons of pulque per annum. The “arvejon” 
(chickling-vetch, pisum sativum), yields 760 tons 
per annum; the bean (vicia faba), 1,934 tons; rye, 
930 tons; Irish potatoes, 5,200 tons. A small quan- 
tity of vegetables is also raised. Corn produces 
34,200 tons. 

A portion of the products just named is consumed 
by the local market, and the rest is shipped away. 
The pulque which is shipped from Tlaxcala may be 
estimated at 100,000 tons annually; over 4,000 tons 
of potatoes are shipped, and nearly all the chickling- 
vetch, the rye and the beans, etc., of which only a 
very small part goes into domestic consumption. 
Barley, of which nearly 21,000 tons are harvested, 
is almost exclusively exported. 

The kind of cultivation which is most to be recom- 
mended in the State is garden and vegetable produce. 
Chickpeas, which at present are not cultivated, would 


The Republic of Mexico 159 


give very good results; the same applies to haricot 
beans, at present grown to a very small extent, al- 
though it is one of the chief food products used by 
the people; alfalfa might also be cultivated and 
would have an excellent nearby market. 

All of these crops could be raised anywhere in 
the State, especially in the valleys of Apan, Puebla 
and Huamantla. In the latter section and in that 
part of the central region which is watered by the 
Zahuapan river, large plantations of wheat might 
be made. 

Transporiation.—The transport of the crops can 
be effected by the various existing lines of railways 
which unite Tlaxcala with the capital of the Re- 
public and with Puebla and Pachuca. The last 
named city consumes a large portion of the products 
of Tlaxcala. Some of the crops of this State are 
shipped from Mexico City and Puebla to Veracruz. 

FHlorticulture and Orchards.—The quantity of 
fruit gathered in the State is not large, as there are 
not as many orchards as there might be. It may be 
said that the present output just meets the local 
demand, while tropical fruit has to be brought in 
from other sections of the Republic. Pears, apples, 
peaches, ‘“‘chavacanos,”’ quinces, etc., thrive on its | 
soil, although, as already stated, the quantities pro- 
duced are small. 

On account of the proximity of good markets in 
addition to the local ones, the development of fruit 
culture would be of great advantage to this State: 
To be recommended are those of the temperate 
zone, for which the soil of Tlaxcala is best adapted. 
The same applies to horticulture in general, which 
might be extended at will. The large amount of at- 
tention at present given to the production of ‘‘pul- 


I00 The Republic of Mexico 


») 


que,” which yields better returns, prevents the in- 
habitants of Tlaxcala from making use of their land 
in the cultivation of other additional products which 
would add to the wealth of the country, even though 
they may not give so brilliant results as the pulque. 

In Tlaxcala the land has to a large extent passed 
out of cultivation. On the extensive flatlands only 
the maguey plant and a little pasturage are grown, 
it appearing to have never occurred to the farmers 
to obtain larger returns from their properties—and 
that without any detriment to the pulque-bearing 
plants—by planting other crops in the large open 
spaces between the maguey-plant. 

As far as agriculture is concerned, the lands may 
be divided into two categories; one category con- 
tains land which is not irrigated, such as on the flats 
of Apan and Puebla, and the other is that of the 
Huamantla valley, which needs to be drained. It 
is therefore necessary to construct damming-in 
works, in order to raise the level of the water for 
the purpose of conducting it along irrigation canals 
to the points required; water-storage is not needed, 
as there is plenty of water in the Zahuapan, Atoyac, 
and other streams which water those valleys. Such 
public utility works do not demand excessive expen- 
ditures of money considering their purpose, nor do 
they offer any serious difficulties in the matter of 
construction, as there are quite a number of natural 
features on this land, such as gorges and glens, in 
which this could be effected with small expense. In 
the closed valley of Huamantla, in which is located 
the lake of Xonacuila, into which various streams 
empty themselves, irrigation would be a somewhat 
costly undertaking, as it would involve the cutting 
of tunnels, in the same manner as was done to con- 


The Republic of Mexico IOI 


vey the waters of the Tenango river in the State of 
Hidalgo down to the large basin in which is stored 
the water which feeds the falls of Necaxa, the prin- 
cipal electrical power producing plant in the country. 
It would, however, make available land composed of 
vegetable mold, whose fertility would make possible 
large agricultural activities. 

The planting of corn in the State is conducted 
upon the same system as obtains in the rest of the 
country. The laborers work on a share basis, re- 
ceiving from the landowner the use of the land, a 
yoke of oxen, farming tools, the seed and the neces- 
sary food for subsistence, the crop being equally 
divided between them and the landowner or the 
owner of the crop. 

Lands.—It is very seldom that the owners of 
land in the State sell their land, which is worth about 
150 to 200 pesos (75-100 dollars) the hectare 
where “maguey” grows. Other kinds of land cost 
less. 

There are no lands in the State of Tlaxcala which 
belong to the Federal Government. 

On account of the small size of the State there 
are no “haciendas” or farms which reach the size 
of “‘latifundios”’ (excessively large landed estates), 
for which reason we believe that when the property 
boundaries are revised, there will be no surplus 
lands worth mentioning. 


VERACRUZ 


Crops.—The cultivations engaged in in this beau- 
tiful region of Mexico are, in a general sense, those 
that belong to the tropical climate, in the zone of 
which the State is situated. We have to mention 


162 The Republic of Mexico 


first cotton, the kind grown on a peculiar tree, known 
under the name of ‘“‘pochote’”’ (eriodendron grandi- 
flora) and the ordinary species (gossypium her- 
baceum), of which the State obtains but little, in 
comparison with what the conditions of the soil 
would permit; 2,000 tons are produced annually, on 
the average, which is a very limited quantity, very 
much below that grown in the States of Durango 
and Coahuila, which have less favorable conditions 
for the production of corn than the State of Vera- 
cruz. The latter, considering its climatic conditions, 
irrigation facilities, the richness of its soil, could 
produce at least twice as much cotton as is obtained 
in the States mentioned above. All the cotton, of 
course, that is produced goes to the factories and 
mills of the State. Rice is another article the 
growth of which could be substantially increased; it 
yields about 3,000 tons a year, all of which is sent 
to different sections of the country. This product is 
chiefly grown in the district of San Andres Tuxtla. 
Sugar-cane, cultivated in several of the rich districts 
of the State, yields annually 625,000 tons, not includ- 
ing the cane of which sugar (28,600 tons) is manu- 
factured in the many sugar mills located in different 
places of the State. In these mills rum is also dis- 
tilled to the amount of not less than 40,000 tons a 
year, which, like the sugar, goes mostly to the in- 
terior of the Republic and partly to foreign coun- 
tries. Furthermore, the cane produces also some 
35,000 tons of “panocha” or crude sugar, part of 
which is sent to the interior of the country. Mo- 
lasses is also made from the cane that is produced. 
Coffee grows in all sections of the State, but the best 
grades come from the districts of Jalapa, Cordova, 
Naolinco and others. Particular attention is given 


The Republic of Mexico 103 


in Veracruz to the growing of tobacco; the lands 
which the State has for this purpose could not be 
better favored than they are as far as conditions of 
temperature, irrigation, humidity, etc., are con- 
cerned. The State of Veracruz yields at least half 
of the total quantity of tobacco grown all over Mex- 
ico, which is partly utilized by the factories estab- 
lished in the State itself, and partly by the large fac- 
tories located in the City of Mexico; the average 
yearly crop of tobacco reaches 12,000 tons. An- 
other immensely useful product for which there is a 
fine market and in the growing of which the State 
of Veracruz has the monopoly as far as Mexico is 
concerned, is the vanilla-bean (vanilla planifora), 
bringing in 230 tons a year, almost all of which goes 
to the interior of the Republic and partly to foreign 
countries, where there is a greater demand for this 
product than can be supplied. The extraction of 
“chicle,” that is the juice from the sapota-tree and 
which is used in the manufacture of chewing gum, 
constitutes an important industry in the State; the 
average yearly crop of this juice is probably more 
than 1,400 tons. The tree from which chicle is ex- 
tracted is not the common sapota, but the ‘“‘chico- 
sapota’” (achras sapote). All of this product is 
exported out of the country, probably all to the 
United States. There are no industries in Mexico 
that utilize this product. Sarsaparilla, a medicinal 
plant for which there is a great demand, grows also 
in the State of Veracruz, about 200 tons being ob- 
tained every year, nearly all of which goes to the 
interior of the Republic. The other less important 
agricultural products of the State are the following: 
corn, which yields annually 161,000 tons, just about 
enough to meet the local demand; beans, 22,000 


104 The Republic of Mexico 


tons, for the local consumption; chile, 43,000 tons, 
exported in the dried state or preserved in vinegar; 
sweet potatoes, 654 tons; barley, 26,000 tons, used 
in the industries of the State; yucca, mostly used in 
the manufacture of starch, 3,000 tons; pepper, 189 
tons; wheat, 2,450 tons; calabashes, 4,300 tons; 
‘‘chayote”’ (a fruit used as a vegetable), 1,435 tons; 
peas, 200 tons; green tomatoes, 300 tons. All these 
latter products must be considered as necessary to 
meet the domestic demand, nothing worth mention- 
ing being sent away. Cocoa, although not neg- 
lected, is not so well attended to as it should be. 
Some 400 tons of it leaves the State, but consider- 
ably more is consumed locally. 

All the cultivations we have mentioned could be 
increased to any desired extent. Of new products it 
would be advantageous to introduce the cultivation 
of the sugar-beet particularly in the districts of 
Tuxtla, Papantla, Jalacingo, but it would also give 
good results in nearly all other sections of the State. 

Transportation—The State of Veracruz has sev- 
eral railways with which to move its crops, such as 
the Veracruz-Mexico Railroad (the short line), an- 
other Veracruz-Mexico line, via Jalapa, the Cor- 
doba-Santa Lucrecia line; the line from Tres Valles 
to San Cristobal, and thence to Tuxtilla, from El 
Burro to San Andres Tuxtla, from the port of Vera- 
cruz to Alvarado, the branch line of Huatusco 
which runs from Cordoba to Coscomatepec, another 
line from Jalapa to Teocelo, from Puerto Mexico 
to Salina Cruz. The State has, furthermore, the 
facilities of the ports of entry of Veracruz, Tuxpan, 
Puerto Mexico and several ports for the coastwise 
trade, such as Tecolutla, Nautla, Alvarado and 
others. Several of its rivers are partly navigable 


The Republic of Mexico 105 


as, for instance, the Panuco, the Tuxpan, the Papa- 
loapam and the Coatzacoalcos. Nevertheless, there 
is need of additional means of communication in 
several places of the State, as Jalacingo which has 
very rich agricultural areas. 

Horticulture and Orchards.—There are all kinds 
of fruits in this State, the principal of which are the 
following: the alligator-pear, which produces 
7,000 tons; anona, 700 tons; “‘capulin,” 600 tons; 
plums (two species), 935 tons; coconuts, 3,500 
tons; “chicozapote,”’ 5,700 tons; peaches, 600 tons; 
guavas, 2,350 tons; limes 3,450 tons; mangos, 
6,400 tons; oranges, I1,500 tons; pineapples, 2,300 
tons; white sapotas, 2,100 tons; black sapotas, 
2,000 tons. The quantities given represent those that 
are exported from the State, the actual yearly pro- 
duction being considerably larger, since much fruit 
is sold at the domestic markets. 

Lands.—Adjacent to the cultivated areas there 
are in this State also large tracts of uncultivated 
lands. This is due to the peculiar circumstance, al- 
ready mentioned in the case of other States, that 
property was granted in a peculiar way during the 
time of the Spanish conquest; excessively large 
estates were formed, with the harmful result that 
either the lack of labor or insufficient capital pre- 
vented the full utilization of the land; this same old 
system still prevails in most parts of Mexico, so 
much so that the present Government is conducting 
an investigation of the official records concerning the 
large landed properties, their true extent, in order 
to make available for agricultural purposes the very 
enormous areas of land held by a few who do not 
and cannot use them. 

Alongside the cultivated lands there are uncul- 


100 The Republic of Mexico 


tivated areas, in quality equal to the former, and 
which, therefore, could be devoted to the same 
crops. Every day, however, the acquisition of land 
in the State of Veracruz is becoming more difficult, 
not so much because it is best suited for agricultural 
purposes, but due to the fact that the subsoil of the 
State is enormously rich in hydrocarbons. ‘The fact 
that everybody, individuals and companies, are hunt- 
ing for petroleum, has possibly one good side to it, 
as far as agriculture is concerned, namely the desire 
to obtain lands in the State has caused the careful 
revision of titles and the resurveying of landed prop- 
erties described therein. As a result of this con- 
siderable areas of land have been found to belong 
to the Federal Government. It disposes of it only 
in the form of leases and concessions for petrolif- 
erous explorations and exploitations. There are, 
for instance, the surplus lands in the La Aguada dis- 
trict, some 325,000 hectares in the Isthmus of Te- 
huantepec, about 10,645 hectares in the district of 
Tonalapa and in other districts, which now belong to 
the Federal Government. The riverbeds, the la- 
goons, the estuaries and the marshes are also the 
property of the Government. Such places, of 
course, are of great value to petroleum companies. 

The value of land is so high in some districts of 
the State that the price for leasing it exceeds several 
hundred pesos a year. 


YUCATAN 


Crops.—The principal article grown in this State 
is a variety of the Mexican agave generally known 
as sisal or sisal hemp; in Mexico it is known under 
the name of “‘henequen.’’ Corn, black beans and 


The Republic of Mexico 107 


sugar-cane are also cultivated in fairly large quanti- 
ties. The annual yield of sisal reaches as an average 
600,000 or 650,000 bales, each bale weighing from 
350 to 400 pounds. Sisal being the principal article 
cultivated by the farmers, the yearly crops of corn, 
beans and sugar-cane vary greatly. As to corn and 
beans we must state that the crops vary entirely ac- 
cording to the prices paid for the sisal fiber, for 
whenever such prices are fairly high, much less labor 
and land are devoted to the growing of corn and 
beans than called for by the fact that these two 
articles form the principal food of the people in 
general, so that such crops do not always cover the 
local demand. On the other hand, whenever the 
market price for sisal is quite low, corn and beans 
are grown in such quantities as to leave a consider- 
able surplus for a larger raising of hogs and poultry 
and eventually for export to other sections of the 
Republic. At any rate it would be a splendid busi- 
ness policy to enlarge the cultivation of these prod- 
ucts, since there is sufficient land available for the 
purpose. The sisal fiber grown in this State is nearly 
all exported to the United States, a small quantity 
remaining for the manufacturing, on a small scale, 
of different articles. Many other articles are grown 
in this State, but in small quantities, such as tobacco, 
coffee, plantain, yucca, a variety of sweet potato and 
Irish potato. The cultivation of the castor-oil 
plant, cotton (the ordinary and the cotton-tree), 
white-mulberry trees, grape-vine, especially in the 
eastern and southern section of the State, would 
yield good financial results. The same is true of 
coconut-trees along the coast. 
Transportation—The State has numerous roads 
to carry the agricultural products to the markets, for 


IOs The Republic of Mexico 


besides an extensive railroad system, the farm- 
tramways and an extended seacoast with a number 
of good harbors, there are good roads and high- 
ways all over the State. 

Horticulture and Orchards——Among the fruit 
that grows in the country we have the sweet orange, 
the sour orange, plantains, bananas, pineapples, al- 
ligator-pears, watermelons, cantaloupes, papaws, 
India-plums, saramuyos, guayas, sapotas, sapodilla- 
plums, guavas, coconuts, guanabanos (a kind of 
anona), anonas, nances and tamarinds. But all 
these fruits grow in such small quantities as to cover 
the local demand only. The cultivation of some of 
these fruits could be intensified in certain sections 
of the State with good financial results, for example, 
coconuts along the coast, pineapples in the south, 
and alligator-pears, oranges and lemons in nearly 
every section of the State. Truck-gardening could 
also be increased by re-establishing the numerous 
vegetable gardens formerly existing on nearly every 
plantation. Land can be easily rented from the 
owners. 

Lands.—There is a considerable extent of uncul- 
tivated land all over the State; nearly all of it is 
privately owned. Different articles could be grown 
thereon with splendid financial results, according to 
the particular section of the country; the cost of 
land is governed entirely by its proximity to rail- 
roads. The planting of sugar-cane, corn, beans, 
potatoes, coffee, tobacco, etc., could be greatly ex- 
tended in the eastern and southern parts of the 
State. It would also be profitable to start anew 
the planting of cotton and castor-oil plants which in 
the past used to constitute one of the principal gains 
of this State. In the northwestern section, where 


The Republic of Mexico I09 


the soil is calcareous and consequently most suitable 
for the cultivation of sisal-hemp, very good results 
could be obtained by cultivating coconut-trees and 
cotton-trees instead of or besides sisal, since they 
require but very little attention. Nearly every plan- 
tation or farm has extensive tracts of uncultivated 
land, mostly covered with brush or wood which is 
cut and used as fuel to run the machinery on the 
sisal plantations. Large or small tracts of such land 
can be rented from the owners on very easy terms; 
in many instances they can be had entirely free of 
charge for the period of cultivation. 


ZACATECAS 


Crops.—Not all the land of the State is fit for 
agricultural enterprises. ‘There are arid sections in 
the eastern part of the State, 7. e., the part ot the 
large Salado Valley which is within the boundaries 
of this State, as well as in the north, in the section 
comprised within the region called ‘“‘Bolson de Map- 
imi.” Other sections of the State, besides those just 
named, are barren, among others those of Som- 
brerete, La Capilla, etc. The people of Zacatecas 
grow corn, preferably the kind that does not require 
irrigation, beans, chile, sugar-cane in the regions 
of Juchipila and Colotlan; also potatoes, wheat, 
calabashes, sweet potatoes and a few other articles. 

The cornfields comprise a large part of the cul- 
tivated land in the districts of Nieves, Rio Grande, 
Fresnillo, Chachihuites, Jerez, Villa Garcia, San 
Andres del Teul and in the vicinity of the city of 
Zacatecas and Pinos, and annually produce an aver- 
age of 121,500 tons which are consumed in the 
State. But this quantity does not cover the demand 


I70 The Republic of Mexico 


of the local market; the balance needed is brought 
in from the States of Durango and Aguascalientes. 
Beans produce 10,600 tons a year, which is insuf- 
ficient to meet the local demand and is supplemented 
with beans from other parts of the Republic; chile 
brings 3,200 tons, consumed in the State; sugar-cane, 
2,800 tons; “piloncillo” (crude sugar), 4,000 tons, 
partly consumed in the State and partly exported to 
the States of Durango, Aguascalientes and San Luis 
Potosi; potatoes, 580 tons, for the local market; 
wheat, 4,000 tons, turned into flour in the mills of 
Zacatecas; calabashes, 200 tons; watermelons, 200 
tons and sweet potatoes, 785 tons, partly exported 
to the States of Aguascalientes and Coahuila. 

The southwestern section of the State is suitable 
for the cultivation of cotton and the grape-vine; the 
‘“‘guayule”’ shrub could be planted in the regions of 
Pinos, Nieves, Mazapil, and Sombrerete. Unfor- 
tunately the people here follow the same practice as 
in the State of Durango, that is to say, they pull the 
plant together with the roots. Those that benefit 
by this system of gathering’ are the buyers of the 
plant, the roots of which contain more rubber than 
the rest of the plant, but the land is not so easily 
covered again by new plants. The castor-oil plant 
grows well in this State. 

Transportation—F¥or the moving of its crops 
the State has the services of the Central Railroad 
and the railway from Canitas to Durango. The 
southwestern section of the State which is the richest, 
has no rapid means of communication at all; all the 
transportation here is done by means of carts and 
pack-mules. 

Horticulture and Orchards —The State produces 
peaches which yield on an average about 500 tons 


The Republic of Mexico Evi 


a year; guavas, 480 tons; apples, 100 tons; quinces, 
215 tons; oranges, 360 tons; pears, 725 tons; 
‘“peron,’ 340 tons; prickly-pears, 2,000 tons; 
grapes, 300 tons; nuts, 80 tons. Nearly all of this 
fruit is consumed in the State. Horticulture as well 
as the growing of fruit could be extended and in- 
tensified in this State, with the advantage that the 
State itself would offer a good market for the 
produce; in addition, outside markets could be 
found. 

Lands.—The State possesses extensive tracts of 
uncultivated land, not only in the barren sections we 
have mentioned before, but also in the fertile valleys 
of Valparaiso, Jerez, Juchipila, San Andres del 
Teul, where not even one-third of the land is uti- 
lized despite the richness of the soil. These lands 
are particularly suited for the cultivation of sugar- 
cane, grape-vine and fruits. ‘To this end water- 
basins should be built on a level high enough to make 
possible the irrigation of the land; at the same time 
the waters from the wash-outs would be taken ad- 
vantage of, while at present they are completely 
lost in the Santiago river which carries them to the 
Pacific. 

The value of the land varies according to condi- 
tions. Scarcely anything is offered for the barren 
lands; the non-irrigated land is worth less than 20 
pesos (ten dollars) the hectare in sections far from 
the railroad and about 40 pesos in those sections 
that have these facilities. In the southwestern 
region where the land is rich it does not cost much, 
on account of being distant from railroads, the land- 
owners being ready to sell even at 50 pesos the 
hectare. 

It is not exactly known whether the Federal Gov- 


172 The Republic of Mexico 


ernment possesses any land in this State, though 
it is generally believed that it does not. It is, how- 
ever, possible that a careful survey of the large 
properties and the examination of the corresponding 
titles will result in the passing of portions of land 
in the different sections of the State into the hands 
of the Government. 


CHAPTER III 
FORESTS 


The thorough exploitation of the forests in the 
different sections of the Mexican Republic represents 
without any doubt one of the most promising fields 
for the investment of foreign capital. These forests 
contain immense treasures in the form of wood of 
all kinds, the most durable timber for construction 
purposes and the most beautiful species for the cab- 
inet-making trade, and furthermore, a great variety of 
medicinal plants, some well known and others less 
known to the medical profession outside of Mexico. 

All matters concerning the national forests of 
Mexico are administered by the Department of 
Agriculture and Development (Secretaria de Agri- 
cultura y Fomento) in Mexico City. All parties in- 
terested in the exploitation of the forests of Mexico 
must address this Department of the Federal Goy- 
ernment. 

In the following pages we present a complete 
survey of the forests in every State and Territory of 
the Mexican Union. As in the case of the agricul- 
tural products, we give in most instances the names 
of the trees under which they are known in Mexico, 
for the reason that the English translation of the 
names of such trees, plants and fruits found in books 
and dictionaries seldom corresponds to what the 
local names indicate. This is probably due to the 
fact that the nomenclature of the Latin-American 


173 


I74 The Republic of Mexico 


Flora varies greatly according to the different sec- 
tions or countries. Even such familiar terms as 
“pine,” “oak,” etc., do not always represent the tree 
which is known under that name in the English 
language. Therefore we have thought it necessary 
to add in most instances the corresponding botanical 
names, of which there is a complete alphabetical 
list at the end of this book. 

The total extent of the forests distributed all 
over Mexico is given by some as 150,000 hectares, 
by others as 250,000 hectares. The figures, how- 
ever, are by no means reliable. 


AGUASCALIENTES 


The western portion of the State is covered with 
large forests in which there are oak, pine and cedar, 
these being utilized in the following annual propor- 
tions: oak, 2,300 tons; pine, 200 tons; cedar, 100 
tons. In the central and eastern plains of Aguas- 
calientes ‘‘mesquit’’ is found, which is generally used 
domestically as firewood to the extent of some 500 
tons; “‘huisache,”’ 130 tons; and others for the same 
purpose. Willow is found along the banks of the 
rivers and yields 620 tons annually. 

Transportation—There are no convenient trans- 
portation lines for lumber, as the railway routes are 
towards the center and east. Lumber has to be 
transported along roads; as none of the rivers can 
be used for the purpose. 


BAJA CALIFORNIA 


This Territory is not very wooded, at least not in 
all of its sections. The lands, on the whole, have 


The Republic of Mexico 175 


the appearance of barren stretches, although in the 
sections well irrigated by the sporadic torrential 
rains there are woods; this is the case in the south, 
west, and in some regions of the east of the Terri- 
tory. Oak, which grows on the heights of the 
‘Sierras Costaneras’ (mountain ridge along the 
Pacific coast), crossing the Peninsula from south 
to north, is abundant, and from the woods 
that are not far from the populated centers, about 
2,300 tons are obtained. Mesquit (prosopis juli- 
flora) which is well adapted to the climate, yields 
more than 14,500 tons a year; it is mostly used as 
fuel. The “palo blanco” (forrestiera phyllicoides), 
produces 23,600 tons; “‘palo colorado’ (quercus 
virens ), 2,300 tons; “camachin’”’ (ficus fasciculata), 
1oo tons; another species called “palo blanco” 
(lysiloma candida), the bark of which is used for 
tanning purposes, 580 tons; “‘palo de brea” (cir- 
cidius unijuga), 300 tons; “‘torote’’ (bursera micro- 
phylla), 240 tons; a good and useful gum is ob- 
tained from this tree. Small quantities of other 
species are also exploited. 

Transportation.—The timber industry has only 
one facility: the relatively short distance of the 
forests from the coast. The condition of the rivers 
is such as to preclude their use for the transport of 
timber, nor is the existing railroad line of any ser- 
vice for this purpose. The ocean is the only route 
available for transportation. 


CAMPECHE 


Nearly all of the interior of the State is covered 
with extensive forests, generally called “montana” 
by the natives of the country. The largest forests 


170 The Republic of Mexico 


are found in the Districts of Los Chenes and El 
Carmen. They contain most precious woods suit- 
able for construction and cabinet-making purposes. 
There is the ‘‘chacte’”’ or ironwood which is of great 
renown. The ancient Maya Indians knew its value 
and excellence, having used it for the construction 
of the doors in the palaces of Uxmal and Chichen- 
Itza, the artistic workmanship of which has been 
admired for centuries. Mahogany, cedar and 
‘jabin” are woods found in abundance everywhere in 
the State. Then there is the well-known Campe- 
chea-wood which by itself forms enormous forests; 
the sapota-tree, from which is extracted the gum 
used in the manufacturing of chewing gum; then 
there are large sections of the State covered with a 
species of tree called ‘‘ramon’’ in this section, and 
‘‘ojite” in other parts of the Republic; the leaves and 
fruit of this tree make a splendid feed for cattle 
and hogs. Some thirty years ago the exploitation 
of the sapota-gum or “‘chicle’ was started in this 
State, and the general belief was that soon there 
would be an end to the trees; but no such thing has 
happened, for the Federal Government is still grant- 
ing concessions for the extraction of the gum. This 
proves that there is still an extensive field for this 
industry which seems to be a splendid investment 
commercially. 

Transportation.—As for facilities for shipping 
the products of the forests, there are in the Districts 
of the Capital of the State, Los Chenes and partly in 
the District of Chapoton, cart roads that are of use 
only during the dry seasons of the year. The con- 
struction of a regular cart road is planned which, 
extending over a distance of 150 kilometers, would 
make possible speedy and easy communication be- 


The Republic of Mexico vy a 


tween the city of Campeche and the principal towns 
and villages and the District of Los Chenes. ‘The 
District of El Carmen is crossed by numerous rivers 
used as regular routes of traffic. The real exploita- 
tion of the immense riches contained in the forests 
of this State, will take place, as soon as the con- 
templated construction of the so-called ‘Southern 
Railroad” shall have materialized; this road would 
connect the Capital of the State with the City of 
Mexico. 


CHIAPAS 


With the exception of a few localities along the 
coast and the section which is called “interior,” the 
whole of the State is covered with forests, many of 
them almost impenetrable. The number and variety 
of woods for carpentry, cabinet-making, building, 
fuel, etc., are enormous. Forests which no one has 
ever touched offer their inexhaustible riches; 
dyewoods, medicinal plants and other great 
resources at the present time go to waste in these 
forests. 3 

So that in Chiapas, as far as timber is concerned, 
it is the same as with fruits: a very small part of it is 
used. The difficulty of utilizing timber is accentu- 
ated by the absence of suitable roads. Mahogany is 
exported to the extent of about 1,200 tons a year; 
cinnamon, 400 tons; cedar, 6,000 tons; evergreen 
oak, which is used almost exclusively to meet the 
domestic needs of fuel, 24,000 tons; hawthorn 
yields 980 tons; ‘‘ocote,” or torch pine, 7,500 tons; 
fir tree, 1,200 tons; pine, 5,000 tons; “‘roble”’ (a 
species of oak), 6,700 tons. Smaller quantities are 
taken out of various tropical trees, such as palli- 
sander, “‘quiebrahacha,”’ “‘liquidambar,”’ rosewood, 


I78 The Republic of Mexico 


etc. There is also the “palo del moral’ (berry- 
tree), the ‘‘curcuma” or turmeric (dyewood) and 
many other kinds. 

Trans portation.—There are ample means of get- 
ting these woods out, such as the rivers which 
flow towards the Gulf of Mexico and some rivers 
which carry their waters towards the Pacific. 
The Pan-American Railroad is a very effective 
means of shipping these woods, and connects with 
ports such as San Benito, Tonala and Soconusco 
where the lumber can be put on board, espe- 
cially for the United States, which in the future 
will be a large market for the important timber 
products of Chiapas and of every other kind of 
products grown in that State. A few branch lines 
of railroads, a few automobile roads, such as are 
now being constructed, will solve the problem of 
the utilizationof the products of the State of 
Chiapas. 

We have refrained from giving a complete list 
of the very many different kinds of timber in the 
State, but we may say that there are enormous quan- 
tities of great variety. 


CHIHUAHUA 


In the western section of the State, in the moun- 
tains as well as on the high table-lands and in 
the valleys formed by the mountain chains, the 
forests are particularly rich in construction timber, 


such as pine, oak, “madrono,” “manzanilla” and 
others. In the central valleys the forests contain 
chiefly ‘‘huisache,” mesquit, ‘‘chaparro’ and 


some other species. Along the river banks the 
‘‘sabinos,’’ willows, poplars, ash-trees, tamarisks, 


The Republic of Mexico I79 


osiers (salix viminalis), etc., form considerable 
forests. 

At present the forests are very imperfectly ex- 
ploited, due to the serious difficulties which are met 
with in the transportation of the timber, on account 
of the great distances of the forests from the rail- 
road lines and the rugged nature of the land covered 
with such forests. 

The figures of the average annual production are: 
“ahuehuete” (taxodium mucronatum), 1,400 tons; 
poplar (populus monilifera), 7,800 tons; “‘brasil’’ 
(caesalpinia sp. ); 2,000 tons; oak (quercus), 34,- 
000 tons; mesquit (prosopis juliflora ), 12,300 tons; 
pine (several species, such as pinus moctezumae, 
pinus pseudostrobus, pinus cembroides, pinus osteo- 
perma), 123,400 tons; willow (salix bomplandi- 
ana), I,200 tons; tamarisk (salix taxifolia), 300 
tons; ‘chaparro”’ (mimosa sp.), 2,500 tons. 
Smaller quantities are obtained of other trees. 

Transportation—The exploitation and _trans- 
portation of the woods that are used for fuel pur- 
poses is easy, since the product, the charcoal, is 
brought out of the forests and carried to the market 
or the railroad on pack-animals, mostly mules and 
donkeys; but when it comes to shipping large pieces 
of lumber, such as are used by constructors and 
cabinet-makers, the matter is quite different and 
generally very difficult, due to the total absence of 
roads that cross the forests where large quantities 
of timber are found. The roads that at present are 
used for transporting timber are: the Mexican-E]l 
Paso railroad line; the Kansas City, Mexico and 
Orient line and Jimenez-Rosario line. ‘The rivers 
can also be utilized for the purpose, especially dur- 
ing the floods of the rainy season. 


180 The Republic of Mexico 
COAHUILA 


The greater portion of the State of Coahuila lies 
within the immense region known under the name 
of “Bolson de Mapimi” which includes also part of 
the State of Durango, the whole eastern section of 
the State of Chihuahua and extends to New Mexico 
and Texas in the United States. This region has 
little vegetation, although in the less barren sec- 
tions the mesquit and “‘huisache” grow. The annual 
exploitation of mesquit is given as 18,300 tons and 
that of “huisache’’ as 87,000 tons. The high sierras 
of Coahuila (La Paila, El Carmen, Sierra Mojada 
and others) possess, especially the first two, large 
forests of oak and pine, of which 2,800 and 600 
tons respectively are obtained every year. These 
same forests contain also “‘madrono”’ and “oyamel”’ 
(Mexican sacred fir), the former yielding 590 
tons and the latter 4,000 tons a year. The State, 
furthermore, produces 1,700 tons of poplar, 
3,800 tons of cedar, 600 tons of ‘ahuehuete”’ 
which grows along the rivers Sabinas and San 
Juan, 2,300 tons of beech-tree and 590 tons of 
ash-tree. 

This State, compared with other States of Mex- 
ico, has practically no forests at all, and those that 
are found are not of the importance of the forests 
situated in the States of Durango, Chihuahua, So- 
nora, Sinoloa, Tabasco, and others. 

Transportation—The State has fairly good rail- 
road facilities for the moving of its timber. None 
of the rivers in Coahuila are of any service in this 
regard, because at no time of the year do they carry 
sufficient water. 


The Republic of Mexico ISI 
COLIMA 


The entire State of Colima represents one solid 
forest in which there is a great variety of trees, 
yielding wood for construction purposes and cabinet- 
making, and fruits of all kinds. 

There is no exploitation of the forests of Colima, 
for the small quantities of timber that are taken 
out of them, do not deserve to be called so. The 
average yearly production of timber from the for- 
ests in this State is, all told, about 2,600 tons a year, 
distributed as follows: ebony (diospyrus eben- 
aster), some 400 tons; mahogany (swietenia ma- 
hogani), 200 tons; ash-tree, 200 tons; balsam-tree, 
100 tons; and other classes of trees in the same 
proportion. ‘The exploitation of the rich forests in 
the State of Colima alone is a splendid business 
opportunity. 

Transportation—The timber product of the 
State could be shipped by railroad lines that are al- 
ready in operation and exported by the maritime 
roads. Furthermore, all the rivers of Colima can 
easily be converted into excellent routes for the 

transport of timber to the coast. | 


DIsTRITO FEDERAL 


The reasons assigned to the fact that the Federal 
District is not producing enough in the agricultural 
field hold true in the case of forests as well. The 
territory of the District is too small to have large 
wooded areas, the products of which could cover 
even in part the demand for wood in the different 
industries. There are some forests in the districts 
of the Ajusco, Las Cruces and in other sections, but 


182 The Republic of Mexico 


these are scarcely exploited, due to the fact that the 
Federal authorities prohibit the cutting of trees in 
forests that are still in existence. Probably not more 
than 300 tons of “ocote,’’ and some 400 tons of 
‘‘oyamel,”’ as an average every year, are brought in 
from the forests mentioned; furthermore, a con- 
siderable quantity of oak which is turned into char- 
coal and sold at the markets of the City of Mexico 
and other towns of the District is imported. 

Transportation—The Cuernavaca road is the 
principal route by which timber is shipped; the San 
Rafeal-Xico railroad line is frequently used for the 
same purpose. 


DuRANGO 


The forest-covered section is that of the Sierra 
Madre Occidental, which is rich in coniferous trees 
and oaks; in the valleys of Guadiana, Guatimape, 
Santiago Papasquiaro, Suchil, Poanas and the 
Steppes of Cuencame, “‘huisaches” (acacia tortuosa ) 
and mesquits are abundant; in the region of the 
ravines (Mezquital, Pueblo Nuevo, San Dimas, 
Tamazula and part of Santiago Papasquiaro) there 
is an abundance of precious woods. 

Durango exploits its timber resources to the fol- 
lowing extent annually: ash (frazinus virides), 600 
tons; “huisache,”’ 7,000 tons; pine (the species 
pinus ayacahuite, pinus pseudostrobos and pinus 
patula), 30,000 tons; poplar (the two species pop- 
ulus monolifera and p. canadiensis), 3,200 tons; 
‘‘madrono” or strawberry-tree (arbutus varians), 
200 tons; willow, 800 tons; oak, various species, 
44,000 tons; mesquit, 20,000 tons. The major 
portion of this timber is shipped to various parts of 
the Republic. The richest forests are those of La 


The Republic of Mexico 183 


Borrega, La Guitarra, Guarisamey, Llano Grande 
and that on the Sierra de Michis. 
Transportation.—A large quantity of the timber 
is shipped by rail to Llano Grande. From this line 
there is a special spur to the ‘‘Guitarra”’ section for 
the moving of lumber; this lumber can be sent to 
Torreon by the Ferrocarril Internacional (the In- 
ternational Railroad) and to Aguascalientes by the 
Canitas branch line. The branch to Tepehuanes 
also carries a considerable quantity of lumber. None 
of the rivers of the State can be considered, either at 
present or in the future, of use to the timber trade. 


GUANAJUATO 


This State, mountainous in the central and other 
sections, has in the sierras as well as in its large 
valleys and plains, especially in the regions too far 
away for the agricultural industry, forests which 
contain building and cabinet-making wood in par- 
ticular. In the sierras various species of pine trees 
abound, of which about 1,500 tons are obtained, 
mostly all of which is used in the State in the build- 
ing industry; oak produces on the average more 
than 17,000 tons, mostly consumed at home and 
partly in the manufacture of carts and other objects; 
‘‘madrono,”’ 670 tons, also used as fuel; “‘huisache,”’ 
100 tons partly used as fuel and partly for the mak- 
ing of hubs of wheels; oak, 3,000 tons, consumed in 
the form of ‘charcoal and in carriage-making in- 
dustry; willow, 60 tons. Poplars have been planted 
on both sides of public walks and on some roads as 
inclosures of cornfields; the same applies to ash- 
trees and “‘sabinos,”’ the latter being most frequently 
found along the banks of the rivers; in some places 


184 The Republic of Mexico 


there are solid forests of these trees; the mesquit 
tree yields about 30,000 tons of wood, practically 
all of which is turned into charcoal. In the flat sec- 
tions of the State there are whole forests of this tree. 

True enough, the State of Guanajuato has not the 
forest wealth of other States, but there is no want of 
timber. Especially towards the south of the State 
are there splendid forests with fine woods that have 
never been exploited. 

Transportation—The railroads of the State 
render excellent service in the matter of carrying the 
timber from its forests, and some of the rivers can 
be utilized for the same purpose during the rainy 
season. The State, furthermore, has good cart 
roads which help maintain fairly good communica- 
tion with the different towns and villages of the 
State and which pass through forests that can be ex- 
ploited. The carts are generally used for bringing 
in fuelwood and charcoal. In general it is not a 
dificult matter to establish roads in the very ex- 
tensive flat sections of the State. 

Real exploitations of the forests have not as yet 
been started, and most of what is gained from them 
is used in the State itself; very little is exported. 


GUERRERO 


This State is also extremely rich in forests, al- 
though it has to contend with the extreme difficulties 
of getting the products to markets that would be glad 
to have them. Immense virgin forests, from which 
scarcely any timber has been taken for the building 
of houses or for fuel, are to be found along the 
numberless mountain ridges separated from the huge 
mass of the Sierra Madre of the South, in which 


The Republic of Mexico I85 


there are very high elevations, such as the ‘‘Puntas 
de la Tentacion,” and the ‘“Tetas de Coyuca,” and 
enormous forests in the valleys surrounded by other 
mountain ridges. ‘These forests contain timber suit- 
able for cabinet-making, carpentry and the building 
industry and for fuel purposes. In the elevated sec- 
tions coniferous trees and oaks are found; in the 
valleys, the deep passes and hollows and on the 
slopes of the sierras ebony, mahogany, rosewood 
(palo de rosa), “lecherillo,”’ ‘‘ramoncillo,” tepe- 
huaje,” “‘liquidambar,” etc., etc., abound. The prin- 
cipal trees, especially those already exploited, and 
the average annual output are the following: “‘pino 
anacahuita”’ (pinus ayacahuite), 2,000 tons; “caca- 
huananche,”’ 1,000 tons; cedar (cupressus benth- 
aniana), 800 tons; “‘espino,’’ 8,000 tons; ‘“‘copal’’ 
(bursera jorullensis), 235 tons; oak (quercus sp.), 
8,900 tons; ‘“‘guaje”’ (lagenaria vulgaris), 300 tons; 
“ocote” (pinus sp.), 7,800 tons; “palo dulce,’’ 200 
tons; oak (quercus,—a species different from the one 
mentioned by the same name), 4,000 tons; “‘tepe- 
huaje’’ (acacia sp.), 4,300 tons. All this timber, 
with the exception of that which is used for fuel and 
in construction, is exported from the State. In the 
forests of this State there is an abundance of other 
kinds of fine woods, such as “‘piru’’ (schinus molle), 
“palo de Corps,” ‘“‘tecomaca,” “palo mulato” and 
many others. 

Transportation.—There are no facilities for the 
removal of timber, at least as far as railroads or 
highways are concerned. Nevertheless, the rivers, 
especially the Balsas, the Papayo, the Tepecaocuila, 
and others could well be utilized for shipping the 
timber to the seaports; up to the present time this 
has not been done, for no other reason than the lack 


186 The Republic of Mexico 


of interest and the proper spirit of enterprise among 
those engaged in timber-cutting in the forests of the 
State. But even with the use of the roads the trans- 
portation problem in connection with the exploita- 
tion of the forests in the State of Guerrero demands 
a solution none the less. 


HIDALGO 


Notwithstanding the facility with which the State 
of Hidalgo can find a market for its timber, it does 
not work the forests actively, and to a much smaller 
extent than the State of Mexico, which has taken 
advantage of so magnificent a market as the City of 
Mexico. The principal woods obtained from its 
forests are “‘ahuehuete’’ (taxodium mucronatum), 
which yields about 800 tons a year on the average; 
aile (alinus), 1,600 tons; poplar, 500 tons; cedar, 
5,000 tons; “‘chijol,’’ 1,000 tons; oak (quercus sp.), 
13,000 tons; juniper tree, 300 tons; hawthorn, 200 
tons; beach, 270 tons; “huamuchil” (phitocolobium 
dulce), 800 tons; mesquit, 2,300 tons; mulberry- 
tree, I,500 tons; ‘“‘ocote” (a kind of pitch or torch- 
pine), 34,000 tons; “‘oyamel”’ (sacred fir), abeto 
or pinabete (abies religiosa), 7,000 tons; rosewood, 
700 tons; dragon’s blood, g00 tons; willow, 500 
tons. 

The forests contain an immense quantity of 
woods, especially the forests in the section called 
the Huasteca Hidalguense. It may be said that the 
timber is not made use of, although it could be made 
a source of wealth. 

Transportation—The means of communication 
cover only a portion of the State, and are completely 
lacking in other parts. The ‘“‘Huasteca’”’ region has 


The Republic of Mexico 187 


no roads. But some of the rivers there, such as the 
Tula, the Moctezuma and the Amajaque, could be 
utilized to convey the lumber to Tampico. 


JALISCO 


There are forests in different parts of the State. 
Those to be found along the border of the States 
of Colima and Michoacan and in the proximity of 
the coast contain very useful and beautiful timber 
for the carpentry and cabinet-making industries; 
those in the region of Colotlan and Huejuquilla con- 
tain also woods of the above description, but most of 
their vegetation belongs to the temperate zone, and 
the forests of the section of the State known as the 
‘“Bajio”’ have trees which belong exclusively to the 
temperate zone. The timber is exploited at present 
and the average yearly production of it is as fol- 
lows: ebony, 200 tons; “‘ahuehuete’’ (taxodium mu- 
cronatum), 1,800 tons; poplar, 2,000 tons; “‘brasil’’ 
(caesalpinia sp.), 1,780 tons; mahogany, 1,200 
tons; cedar, 3,400 tons; “copal’ (bursera jorul- 
lensis ), 200 tons; oak, 250,000 tons; ash, 5,100 tons; 
“granadillo” (pasiflora edulis), 120 tons; ‘‘guaya- 
billo,” 2,300 tons; “guayabo’”’ (psidium pomi- 
forme), 600 tons; “huamuchil,” 2,200 tons; “‘huis- 
ache,” 2,135 tons; “‘laurel’’ (laurus cerasus), 300 
tons; “madrono,” 2,900 tons; mesquit, 7,000 tons; 
orange-tree, 300 tons; walnut-tree, 950 tons; 
“ocote’ (pinus teocote), 567,000 tons; “palo 
blanco” (celtis occidentalis), 100 tons; “palo dulce,” 
2,300 tons; “palo de rosa” (cachlospermum hibis- 
coides), 800 tons; “‘parota” (enterolobium cyclo- 
carpum), 500 tons; “pinabete” (abies religiosa), 
3,000 tons; pine (different kinds), 175,600 tons; 


1&8 The Republic of Mexico 


oak (quercus sp.), 225,000 tons; willow, 1,400 tons; 
“tepehuaje’’ (acacia sp.), 6,500 tons; “tepemez- 
quite,’ 100 tons; ‘“‘tepozan” (buddleia humbold- 
tiana), 40 tons; “hobo,” 50 tons; “amapa,’”’ 60 
tons; “una de gato,’ 100 tons. Smaller quantities 
are obtained of the following: alder-tree, “‘alamillo,” 
alligator-pear tree, “‘capomo,”’ “‘capulin,” ‘“colorin”’ 
(erhytrina corallodendron), ‘“colorin  chiquito” 
(rhinchosia precatoria), “‘guasima’”’ (guazuma pol- 
ibotrya), ‘‘garabato” (pisonia hirsuta), etc. The 
wood of the “‘colorin chiquito” is used in the cork- 
making industry. 

Transportation—The roads for hauling these 
timbers are the existing railroad lines and some high- 
roads; transportation by the latter, being slow, 
is quite expensive. Some of the rivers can be uti- 
lized, especially those that run from north to south; 
wood could be floated on these watercourses to the 
Lerma river which would carry them to Guadala- 
Jara. 


MEXxICco 


The State of Mexico has large and beautiful 
woodlands. As they are located in the fertile val- 
leys of Mexico and Toluca, the forests cover the 
entire State, with the exception of limited plains in 
the higher portions of the Toluca Valley. The 
region of the Valley of Bravo and in general that 
of the south are rich in tropical vegetation, equal 
to that of the States of Michoacan and Morelos. 

In the south high grade lumber plays an important 
part in the economic life of the territory; there are 
mahogany, cherry, quiebrahacha (axebraker) and 
many other species, scarcely being exploited because 
of the lack of transportation facilities. In addition, 


eS 


The Republic of Mexico 1389 


the following quantities are obtained: 160 tons of 
‘“‘ahuehuete’’; 1,640 tons of aile; 5,500 tons of 
cedar; 38,000 tons of oak; 150 tons of ash-tree; 
4,689 tons of “‘huisache’’ (kind of cypress) ; 7,300 
tons of wild cherry; 28,480 tons of ‘“‘oyamel” (fir 
tree); 170 tons of stone-oak; 512 tons of “‘tepe- 
huaje.”’ 

Transportation.—The above timber is sent by 
rail principally to the City of Mexico. Unfortu- 
nately, it is impossible to make use of the rivers for 
the purpose of floating the lumber to any point de- 
sired; the southern water-roads would carry their 
floats in an opposite direction. 


MICcHOACAN 


The State of Michoacan is one of the States 
which, if not possessing forests of the same degree 
of luxuriance as those of the State of Tabasco, are 
most liberally endowed with them. The southern 
portion is covered with valuable woods, the moun- 
tains in the central part have immense quantities of 
timber suitable for building purposes; ‘“‘huisache”’ 
and mesquit are plentiful in the valleys. The whole 
State contains forests which are exploited only in 
those sections which lie nearest to the railway lines. 

On the Southern Plateau none of the timber of 
the tremendously rich forests of this region has been 
taken out, nor can it be, as long as means of trans- 
portation are lacking. 

The timber obtained in Michoacan is as follows: 
‘‘ahuehuete,”’ of which 1,200 tons annually are used: 
Brazil-wood, 1,100 tons; mahogany, 400 tons; “‘cap- 
ulin” (rhus virens), 290 tons; cedar, 1,640 tons; 
copal, 1,180 tons; evergreen-oak, 42,300 tons; ash, 


IgO The Republic of Mextco 


1,700 tons; red ebony, 100 tons; “‘huamuchil,” 3,200 
tons; “‘huisache,’’ 100 tons; strawberry-tree, 8,000 
tons; mesquit, 10,000 tons; walnut, 1,180 tons; 
torchpine, 27,200 tons; sacred fir, 49,000 tons; 
‘palo blanco,” 1,000 tons; “palo dulce,” 152,000 
tons; ‘‘palo prieto,”’ 200 tons; “parota,”’ 2,500 tons; 
fir, 5,000 tons; pine, 254,000 tons; oak, 7,000 tons; 
willow, 26,000 tons; ‘“‘tepehuaje’ (a hardwood), 
5,800 tons. A much larger quantity of these woods 
could be cut without injury to the forests. There 
are at present a few estates which are beginning to 
exploit their timber lands, among which may be 
mentioned one called ‘“Cortijo,” which has good 
sawmills. 

Transportation—We can only repeat that the 
only reason why the woods are not utilized to a 
greater extent is because railroads are lacking. The 
rivers, although they have plenty of water, have all 
the same defect, namely: they flow in the opposite 
direction to that which is needed. 


MOoRELOS 


This small State of the Mexican Union is note- 
worthy for its forests which contain all kinds of 
timber. In the high sierras of the State (Ajusco, 
Tlaltizapan, Popocatepetl, etc.) there are large 
quantities of conifers, the most excellent of which 
are the ‘“‘oyamel’” (abies religiosa), different kinds 
of pine, oak, “‘madrono” and others; in the warm 
valleys irrigated by the Amacusac river and its trib- 
utaries we find mahogany, ebony, quiebrahacha and 
other species in very large quantities. ‘These for- 
ests, however, are not exploited in a scientific way. 

The quantities of timber which the State of More- 


The Republic of Mexico Igor 


los obtains from its forests are estimated as follows: 
amate (ficus nymphaeifolia), 6,800 tons; oak, 17,- 
g00 tons; “madrono,” 5,670 tons; ocote (spinus 
sp.), 42,000 tons; ‘‘oyamel,’? 980 tons; quiebra- 
hacha, 100 tons. Smaller quantities are obtained of 
other varieties. 

The principal market for these woods is the City 
of Mexico. 

There are in the State many other species of 
trees that can be commercialized, as we shall explain 
in another chapter of this book. 

Transportation—Properly speaking the State 
has not many facilities for the hauling of timber. 
The two railroad lines are far away from the region 
where the forests are located. The rivers, on the 
other hand, are of no use, not because they do not 
carry sufficient water, but because their current 
would carry the timber in a direction opposite to 
that desired. 


NAYARIT 


This State, like others that have no serviceable 
means of transportation, possesses large forests, 
from which scarcely any wood has been taken. 
- There are in these forests fabulous quantities of 
timber suitable for every purpose, and the system- 
atic exploitation of which would constitute an inex- 
haustible source of wealth. 

At present, notwithstanding the lack of proper 
roads, fairly large quantities are obtained of the fol- 
lowing timbers: ‘“‘palo dulce’ (eysenardtia), 135 
tons; ‘“‘pinabete,’’ 45,000 tons; oak, 75,000 tons; 
mesquit, 11,600 tons; cedar, 56,700 tons; pine (the 
species pinus pseudostrobus), 64,500 tons; “ma- 
drono,” 12,000 tons; walnut, 3,000 tons; ebony, 


192 The Republic of Mexico 


200 tons; ‘‘amapa”’ (tabebuia), 1,000 tons; quie- 
brahacha (hymenaea sp.), 100 tons; ‘‘palo de fier- 
ro’’ (byra ebenus), 200 tons; “palo mulato” (sima- 
ruba), 90 tons; “‘ocote’” (pinus teocote), 60,000 
tons; “nazareno”’ (brosium alicastrum), 300 tons; 
“hobo” (spondias lutea), 200 tons; “huevo de 
gato,” 160 tons; “‘cocoito”’ (robinia sp.), 100 tons; 
‘“cahua” or “palo Maria’ (achras sp.), 120 tons; 
‘Jabin” or “‘tuzohe’’ (piscidia erytrina), 80 tons; 
‘“‘aguacatillo” (persea gratissima), 100 tons. Other 
species are cut in smaller quantities. 

The “Islas Maria’ (Mary Islands), considered 
a part of this State, have large forests containing 
woods that are of great value. 

Timber for cabinet-making and carpentry is found 
in the deep passes and on a strip of land along the 
coast, from 50 to 60 kilometers wide, and on the 
Maria Islands. ‘Timber suitable for construction 
purposes is found in the sierras of Nayarit, Alica, 
Ceboruco and in other sections. 

Transportation.—The timber we have mentioned 
is shipped by the Southern Pacific Railroad of Mex- 
ico with its branch line to Tepic, and on the vessels 
that touch at the port of San Blas on the Pacific. 

Practically all the rivers of the State offer great 
facilities for the transportation of timber, for those 
that flow into the Santiago river bring the timber to 
the port of San Blas, and the timber that comes 
down the San Pedro and Acaponeta rivers reach the 
mouth of the Comichin, from where it can be shipped 
on board. 

Among the products that could be shipped that 
way, we mention mahogany, of which at present 500 
tons are sent out; Brazil wood, of which 12,000 tons 
are shipped, and a few other species of timber. 


The Republic of Mexico I93 


Rubber (castilloa elastica) is also being shipped on 
an average of some 30 tons a year. 


NvueEvo LEON 


The region south of Linares has forests with 
woods of the torrid zone; in the central and north- 
ern sections of the State the woods are those that 
belong to the temperate zone, and in the sierras the 
trees are those of the cold climate. 

At present the following varieties of timber are 
exploited: “‘ahuehuete,” 700 tons; poplar, 870 tons; 
alder (alnus glabrata), 200 tons; maple (acer com- 
pestris), 100 tons; “‘aile’’ (alnus acuminata), 230 
tons; “‘brasilete’’ (caesalpinia brasilensis), 3,000 
tons; “chaparro prieto’”’ (mimosa sp.), 2,500 tons; 
cedar, 3,400 tons; “‘chamal’” (dioon edule), 180 
tons; oak, 9,800 tons; “huisache,’”’ 3,100 tons; mes- 
quit, 4,200 tons; pine, 8,600 tons; ‘‘ocote,” 600 
tons; “‘guayul” (vauquelinia corymbrosa), 100 tons; 
“granjeno”’ (celtis pallida), 800 tons; ‘‘garabato” 
(pisonia hirsuta), 900 tons; willow, 450 tons; wal- 
nut, 200 tons; ash, 400 tons; “‘madrono,”’ 800 tons. 
Smaller quantities of other species, such as ‘“‘man- 
zanilla” or ‘“‘pinguica’’ (arctostaphylus pungeus), 
“encinilla’”’ (croton dioicus) and others, are also 
obtained. 

Willow, ahuehuete, pine, cedar, brasilete, arce, 
aliso, poplar, walnut, and ash are used by carpenters 
and cabinet-makers; all other kinds of timber are 
consumed in the form of charcoal. 

Transportation.—F or the hauling of timber there 
are the railroad lines and a few cart roads; also 
minor roads over which the charcoal is carried on 
pack-animals. The principal market is the city of 


IQ4 The Republic of Mexico 


Monterrey. The State of Nuevo Leon does not ex- 
port any of its timber, while on the other hand it 
has to import considerable quantities for its furni- 
ture manufactories and other industries. 

As the rivers of the State carry, as a rule, little 
water, they cannot be utilized for the hauling of 
timber to convenient places. 


OAXACA 


The forests of Oaxaca are vast and luxuriant. 
Woods of all kinds are met with, among which may 
be mentioned the following: mahogany, of which 
680 tons are cut; the evergreen oak, 47,000 tons; 
ash, 640 tons; mulberry, 345 tons; torch pine, 6,000 
tons; “palo de Corps,” “palo mulato,” ‘“‘tecomaca,” 
‘palo ramoncillo,” “palo santo,” “guasima,” “palo 
dulce,” ‘“‘solenillo,” ‘“‘paracata,” ‘‘frijolillo,” “oco- 
tillo blanco,” “bari,” “palo gusano,”’ “alanchon,” 
‘“‘mahuate,”’ yellow laurel, ebony, “nazareno,” “cha- 
chahuente,” “‘soco,” ‘“‘zopilote,” “palo de arco,” and 
many others which are used mostly for cabinet-mak- 
ing and carpentry, and are, like many other species, 
little known and little exploited. There are vast 
forests of construction timber including various 
kinds of pine, oak, evergreen oak, strawberry-tree, 
etc., etc., none of which is utilized to the extent that 
the abundance would permit. 

Transportation The small extent to which the 
forests are worked is due to the lack of roads. The 
rivers, on the other hand, do not lend themselves 
very well to being instrumental in floating the timber 
from the forests and depositing it at any desired 
point. The Mixteco river and some of its conflu- 
ents could be used to carry the lumber as far as the 


The Republic of Mexico 195 


Puente de Ixtle, at which point the railway crosses 
the stream; from there onwards the river would not 
take the timber in the right direction; improved by 
some small engineering works, the river Papaloapan 
and several of its confluents, such as the San Juan 
and the Tehuacan, could be utilized in the same way 
as far as the lake of Alvarade in the State of Vera- 
cruz; the Tehuantepec, the Verde, and the Omo- 
tepec could be similarly used to carry the timber to 


the Pacific. 
PUEBLA 


This State being situated in the torrid zone, its 
forests are rich in fine woods, part of which is 
utilized in Puebla itself. Its sierra of Zacapoaxtla 
contains enormous riches, and its forests along the 
banks of the rivers Mixteco, Atoyac, Mexcala, Pet- 
lalcingo, Nexapa and others abound in trees of dif- 
ferent species. ‘here are also large forests on the 
slopes of the sierras of Nevada (Sierra Nevada), 
Tlaxco and Monumentos which contain woods be- 
longing to the cold regions: pines, oaks, yew-leaved 
firs, etc. 

The wood production of the State is estimated as 
follows: alligator-pear tree, 2,000 tons a year, on 
the average; this wood is considered to be fine and 
suitable for cabinet-making; ‘‘ayacahuite,” 1,200 
tons, generally used as board wood for packing pur- 
poses, ordinary furniture, rafters, etc.; “‘aile,” 12,- 
000 tons; poplar (populus monilifera), 570 tons. 
The so-called ‘‘Belloc coal” has already become pop- 
ular in medicine; it is manufactured from the bark 
of this species of poplar and used with considerable 
success as a disinfectant; “amate,’’ 380 tons; ma- 
hogany, 1,200 tons; cedar, 1,400 tons; ‘“‘chicosa- 


I90 The Republic of Mexico 


pota,”’ 340 tons; oak (quercus sp.), 54,400 tons; 
“espino,’’ 100 tons; ash, 200 tons; “‘guaje” (lage- 
naria vulgaris), 700 tons; ‘“‘guasima,”’ (guazuma 
polibotrya), 480 tons; the bark of this tree is uti- 
lized as a textile, its fiber being very strong; guava 
tree, 240 tons; laurel, 100 tons; “‘linaloe’”’ (burseia 
aloexylon), 300 tons; this tree contains an aromatic 
gum; liquidambar, 1,200 tons; this is a very fine 
wood; ‘‘madrono,”’ 1,500 tons; mesquit, 3,000 tons; 
orange-tree, 300 tons; walnut, 340 tons; “‘oyamel,”’ 
‘‘abete,”’ or “‘pinabete”’ (abies religiosa), 6,000 tons; 
“ocote,’ 115,000 tons; “palo blanco, @oo@e%onee 
evergreen oak, 500 tons; willow, 600 tons; “‘tepe- 
huaje,’’ 300 tons; sapota-tree, 1,000 tons; pine (the’ 
different species), 90,000 tons. 

Transportation.—For the hauling of timber there 
are the same railroad facilities which are indicated 
in the chapter on Agriculture; the railways, however, 
cannot be used for shipping the timber which exists 
in very large quantities in the region near the Mix- 
teca sierra, Zacapoaxtla and in other parts of the 
State. The rivers which flow into the Mezcala can 
be utilized for floating the timber up to the point 
where this river is crossed by the Oaxaca Railroad, 
whence it can be taken by freight to the desired 
markets. 


QuUERETARO 


Although Queretaro possesses large plains, such 
as the Llanos del Cazadero and part of the region 
called the Bajio, which have no forests, either be- 
cause the lands, such as those of the Cazadero 
region, are pasturages without any vegetation other 
than herbaceous plants, or because the exigencies of 
agriculture have destroyed all such plants and trees 


The Republic of Mexico 197 


as would take away the indispensable sunshine from 
the corn and other cultivations, there are, neverthe- 
less, places in the canyons of the sierras and in several 
other regions in which woods suitable for construc- 
tion purposes and the making of charcoal partic- 
ularly abound. Wood for charcoal is being cut 
every day of the year. The State utilizes about 
6,000 tons of mesquit every year, 2,500 tons of 
“huisache,” 7,000 tons of oak, 20,000 tons of ocote 
pine, 12,000 tons of other kinds of pine trees; also 
small quantities of “‘aguacatillo,” poplar, ash, sabine 
(taxodium mucronatum), willow and other species. 

Transportation.—In order to take these woods 
from where they are cut to where they can be used, 
carts drawn by animals are employed. Queretaro 
exports only a° small quantity of timber. Great 
quantities, however, are turned into charcoal which 
goes especially to the City of Mexico. 

All the rivers of the State, improved by engineer- 
ing works, could be made serviceable for timber 
hauling during the rainy season when the streams 
carry plenty of water. 

If large quantities of timber were cut and taken 
as far as the railroad lines of which there are many 
in the State, they could be easily exported, thus be- 
coming a very important source of wealth. 


QUINTANA Roo 


With the exception of a few cultivated areas and 
the stretches of pasture land, the largest part of 
Quintana Roo is covered with natural forests, which 
the State Department of Agriculture has leased to 
a number of concessionaries for the exploitation of 
precious timber. Mahogany, sapota, and ebony are 


198 The Republic of Mexico 


the trees that predominate in these forests. Chicle 
or sapotilla-gum, the bark of the ‘‘chucum”’ (used 
for tanning purposes) and the mangrove-tree are 
cut in considerable quantities; the mangrove is also 
used for tanning. 

Transportation —Roads for transporting these 
products are few and most of them very primitive. 
In the neighborhood of the village of Santa Maria 
and Solferino several tramways drawn by mules 
have been constructed. Bordering the territory of 
British Honduras is the Rio Hondo river, navigable 
by small boats as far as the Chetumal bay; then 
there is the Rio Azul along the frontier of the 
Central American Republic of Guatemala, the shal- 
low waters of which allow only the use of rafts. 


SAN Luis PoTos!I 


The State owns some splendid forests, mostly 
covered with tropical vegetation in the Huasteca 
section; in the center there is much mesquit, and in 
the mountain ranges of the central western parts 
there are pine and oak. The Huasteca section has 
impenetrable forests which have not been worked 
for want of suitable roads. The timber regularly 
cut in the State includes the following: the ahue- 
huete conifer, also known by the name of “‘sabine”’ 
tree, with an annual yield of over 600 tons; cedar, 
900 tons; “‘copalillo,” 600 tons; oak, 5,680 tons; 
laurel, 4,300 tons; mesquit, 81,700 tons; mulberry, 
200 tons; “‘palo blanco,’”’ 1,700 tons; pine, 2,900 
tons; “‘tepehuaje”’ or “‘tepeguaje,” 100 tons. 

As may be seen, the State is not a large producer 
of timber, but could easily become one, as it has 
large quantities of woods which only await proper 


The Republic of Mexico I99 


means of transportation to become a source of in- 
come to the population. 

Transportation—At the present time the best 
railroad lines for lumber traffic are those from San 
Luis to Tampico, the branch lines from San Bartolo 
to Rio Verde, and from San Luis Potosi to the min- 
ing camp of San Pedro. The cart roads in the 
central sections of the State provide an outlet for a 
certain quantity of timber, but in the Huasteca 
region it will be necessary to build railroads 
or roads which will allow of motor traffic, neither 
this nor railroad construction being very difficult, 
as, although the country is rather broken, it has 
abundant material for such construction: timber, 
stone, etc. 

Several rivers with a large volume of water, such 
as the Verde, the Santa Maria, the Ramuin, Valles 
and ‘Tampean, can be used for the transport of the 
lumber as far as Tampico, all these rivers reaching 
that point by joining the great river Panuco, into 
which they empty their waters. 


SINALOA 


The entire State has forests the conservation of 
which is chiefly due to the fact that no facilities exist 
for taking out and shipping the timber to the in- 
terior of the Republic. To some extent, however, 
these forests are exploited yielding the following 
quantities annually: “‘ahuehuete,” 2,000 tons; “ar- 
rayan’ (myrtus arrayan), 200 tons; “amapa’’ 
(tabebuia sp.), 2,300 tons; ‘‘aguacatillo,” 125 tons; 
“hobo,” 150 tons; Brazil wood (caesalpinia bore- 
ale), 2,100 tons; “palo de rosa’’ (tecoma multi- 
flora), 100 tons; mahogany, 300 tons; cedar (ce- 


200 The Republic of Mexico 


drela glaziovii), 2,300 tons; copal (cyrtocarpia 
procera), 230 tons; ebony, 300 tons; evergreen oak, 
5,800 tons; oak, 2,500 tons; “guayacan” (guaiacum 
sanctum), 500 tons; ‘“‘huamuchil,” 200 tons; “‘huis- 
ache,’ 4,000 tons; mesquit, 5,400 tons; moral 
(morus nigra), 3,200 tons; ‘“‘palo blanco’’ (celtis 
occidentalis), 1,000 tons; “palo mulato” (celtis 
berlandieri), 400 tons; palo colorado (quercus 
virens), 1,800 tons; ‘“‘palo dulce” (eysenardtia), 800 
tons; “palo verde’ (parkinsonia torreyana), 300 
tons; pine (several species), 670 tons; “‘jabin”’ 
piscidia erytrina), 400 tons; sapodilla-tree, 100 
tons; ‘‘tecomaxochitl”’ (cachlospermum hibiscoides), 
200 tons; ‘‘guacimilla” (guazuma polibotrya), 100 
tons; “ebano mulato” (calliandra formosa), 300 
tons; “‘cacahuananche”’ (licania arborea), 230 tons; 
‘‘amapabola” or ‘‘chucte’’ (miroxylon pereirae), 80 
tons. Other woods are also cut, but in smaller 
quantities. 

There are many other species of trees in the for- 
ests of this State that are not exploited, though 
usable in various industries. 

Transportation—The rivers of the State offer 
the best facilities for the hauling of timber; they 
flow in the desired direction, they are numerous and 
provide the best routes for the shipping of the tim- 
ber directly to the Pacific or to points where the 
rivers are crossed by the railroad. 


SONORA 


This State possesses great forests. Along the 
Sierra Madre Occidental, in its large Alamos, Mag- 
dalena, Cananea, Arizpe and other mountains and 
in the great valleys which are surrounded by these, 


The Republic of Mexico 201 


there are immense stretches of woodland furnish- 
ing splendid timber for all kinds of purposes. 

The trees that at the present time are exploited 
and the average yearly production are as follows: 
alligator-pear tree, 230 tons; alder, 200 tons; 
“ahuehuete,”’ 1,200 tons; poplar, 8,000 tons; “‘hua- 
muchil,” 8,600 tons; ‘‘guayacan,’’ 4,600 tons; 
“huwache,” 3,000 tons; willow, 1,500 tons; brazil- 
wood, 6,000 tons; evergreen oak, 130,000 tons; 
mesquit, 100,000 tons; “palo blanco,” 2,800 tons; 
oak, 9,000 tons; pine (pinus cembroides), 3,600 
tons; “‘taray”’ (eysenardtia orthocarpa), 7,500 tons; 
ocote pine, 5,000 tons; sapota, 2,400 tons. 

Transportation.—Besides the transportation fa- 
cilities which are indicated in the chapter on Agri- 
culture, there are the rivers which can be utilized 
for transporting timber, for all of them flow into 
the Gulf of Cortes, and most of them carry plenty 
of water all the year round. 


TABASCO 


Tabasco is undoubtedly the richest State in tim- 
ber. The whole State is one luxuriant forest full ot 
a multitude of plants and trees which in themselves 
represent vast wealth. Still, all this wealth is 
scarcely utilized at all. The choice woods which 
are in great demand abroad, leave the State in rela- 
tively small quantities. The cost of transporting 
them to Frontera, the shipping port, is ridiculously 
small; the greatest difficulty is encountered in getting 
the timber out of the far-away forests. 

The kinds of wood which are principally exported, 
all of them going abroad, are the following: ma- 
hogany, some 7,000 tons a year; cedar (cupressus 


202 The Republic of Mexico 


benthaniana), 3,000 tons; red cedar (cedrela gla- 
Z1OVii), 1,000 tons; “‘cocohite,’’ 980 tons; “‘chico- 
zapote,”’ 1,500 tons; “guasima,’”’ 1,400 tons; log- 
wood, 1,200 tons; black-mulberry tree, 2,000 tons; 
Campeachy-wood (hematoxylon camperchanum), 
1,600 tons; “cari,” 400 tons; “palo gusano,”’ 300 
tons; bloodwood, 600 tons; “lanchan,”’ 280 tons; 
‘“nahuatec,’ 400 tons; “luyn,”’ 230 tons; yellow 
laurel, 500 tons; ‘‘nahuate,” 540 tons; and an in- 
finite number of other woods. ‘There are in the 
forests of Tabasco an astonishing variety of cabinet- 
maker’s and carpentry woods, such as ebony ‘“‘ma- 
jagua” (tree of the linden family), palisander, 
‘‘quiebrahacha”’ (a kind of ironwood), liquidambar, 
which are not cut to the extent which the resources 
of these immense forests permit. 

Transportation—The State has ample facilities 
for moving all the timber cut, as it possesses an 
almost unbelievable network of rivers, all of them 
with plenty of water and all of them finally making 
their way to the same point: the Bar of Frontera, 
where all the lumber is shipped to any desired point. 

Tabasco is certainly a State with a brilliant future, 
as soon as energetic men from any part of the world 
realize the splendid business opportunities which 
will be created by the steady and scientific exploita- 
tion of its enormous resources. 


TAMAULIPAS 


There are many forests in this State, especially in 
the southern section of it, in which there is an 
abundance of ‘‘pochote” or ‘‘ceiba” trees (erioden- 
dron grandiflora) which produce an excellent kind 


of cotton; ebony, alder-trees, “‘arrayan,” ‘‘aguaca- 


| The Republic of Mexico 203 


tillo,’’ ‘“‘algodoncillo” (inga sp.), ‘“‘bejuco’’ (hip- 
pocratea sp.), balsam, “bari” (cordia gerascan- 
thoides), “‘capomo,”’ “‘camichin’”’ (ficus fasciculata), 
“cepillo del diablo’’ (cumbretum jacquini), ma- 
hogany, “copalchi’” (couteria latifolia), ‘‘chilte’’ 
(manihot foetida), “‘siricote’” (cordia dodecandra), 
“cacahuananche”’ (licania arborea), “striped ebony”’ 
(diospyros velutina), “hobo,” “‘jaboncillo” (sapin- 
dus drumondi), ‘“‘limoncillo’” (dalea citriodora), 
black mangrove (conocarpus erecta), walnut, ‘‘par- 
ota,” “palo de fierro,” ‘“‘jabin” and other species. 

The kind and quantities which are worked at pres- 
ent are as follows: “ahuehuete,”’ 3,000 tons; cedar, 
400 tons; oak, 9,600 tons; mesquit, 100,000 tons; 
mahogany, 500 tons; pine (pinus montezumae), 
3,700 tons; ebony, 100,000 tons; ‘‘capomo’”’ (bras- 
imum alicastrum), 200 tons; ‘‘camichin,”’ 100 tons; 
and smaller quantities of other woods. 

As will be gathered from these statements, the 
State of Tamaulipas is not noted for the exploita- 
tion of its forests, though it has all the necessary 
facilities todo so. Its rivers, for instance, can all be 
made use of for the hauling of timber; all of them 
flow in the right direction. 

Transportation.—As already stated, if ‘Tamau- 
lipas does not sufficiently exploit the riches of its 
forests, the fact is certainly not due to the lack of 
means of transportation. The rivers Panuco, 
Tamesi, Tampoan, Conchas, Soto de Marina can 
easily be utilized as a means of transport. These 
rivers carry plenty of water and are navigable for 
a considerable distance from the ocean. Further- 
more, there are the railroad lines, which, though 
not very numerous, run in the right direction and 
carry the timber to the desired places; and then it 


204 The Republic of Mexico 


must not be forgotten that the splendid market of 
the United States is nearby. 


TLAXCALA 


Correctly speaking, there are no forests in Tlax- 
cala which could be very profitably worked. ‘There 
are many wooded parts, but these are not at all like 
the large forests which exist in many other States 
of the Federation. In its mountain ranges, especially 
those in the region known under the name of ‘‘Mal- 
inche,” there are forests of conifers, chiefly of the 
sacred fir (abies religiosa), of which about 5,000 to 
6,000 tons are exported; pine (chiefly pinus pseu- 
dostrobus), 10,400 tons are exported; ‘“‘ahuehute”’ 
or “sabino,” 2,875 tons; “‘aile’ (alnus glabrata), 
346 tons; evergreen oak, 234,600 tons; and torch- 
pine, 245,000 tons; the last two are really large 
amounts considering the size of this Federal unit. 

As is seen, the class of timber which is plentiful in 
the State of Tlaxcala, on account of the high eleva- 
tion of its valleys and mountain ranges above sea 
level, is that which is suitable for construction and 
for fuel. The major part of the oak, all the pine, 
and some of the other varieties of timber are used 
for home consumption as fuel. 

There are some forests on the slopes of the 
Nevada and Tlaxco mountains which come within 
its borders, and also in several valleys, defined by its 
rivers. 

Transportation.—In a general way it may be said 
that facilities for the transport of Tlaxcala’s timber 
are plentiful, it being sufficient proof to note the 
large amount shipped, especially of fuelwood. These 
transport lines are the railroads to Puebla, Vera- 


The Republic of Mexico 205 


cruz, Pachuca, the latter being the principal market 
for Tlaxcala. On the other hand, the rivers which 
rise in the mountains where the valuable timber 
grows, and mostly flow down to the Puebla valley, 
approaching the railway lines, have the advantage 
that, by means of small inexpensive improvements, 
such as canalization, they can be converted into 
transport routes. Cart roads are not difficult to 
build, as the State is not very mountainous, and its 
plains lend themselves to the construction of railway 
lines. 


VERACRUZ 


This State has been favored in the matter of 
forests as much as in that of agriculture. Its forests 
are numerous and contain all kinds of useful and ex- 
cellent timber. They have never been exploited 
regularly and according to scientific standards, but 
they offer a brilliant future to investors. ‘The fol- 
lowing figures represent the quantities which at 
present are gained, on an average every year. Bal- 
sam, 524 tons; mahogany, 13,000 tons; nearly all 
of this is exported to foreign countries; cedar, 
25,000 tons; cypress (cupressus sempervirens), 678 
tons; evergreen oak, 40,000 tons; “‘huisache,”’ 6,700 
tons; mesquit, 2,000 tons; black-mulberry tree 
(moral-morus nigra), 21,600 tons; ocote-pine, 
6,780 tons; “‘oyamel,” 5,435 tons; pine (different 
species ), 34,500 tons; oak, 62,000 tons; sapota tree, 
15,000 tons. There are other species of trees, of 
which smaller quantities are cut and shipped, such as 
“palo amarillo” or yellow-wood, ‘‘palo de corps,” 
“pimientillo,” mulattowood (“palo mulato’’), “palo 
lecherillo,” ‘palo ramoncillo,” ‘“‘solenillo,’’ rose- 
wood, ‘“‘chijol,” ‘“‘tepemesquite,” “guava-tree,”’ “palo 


200 The Republic of Mexico 


gusano” (wormwood), “palo de sangre’ (blood- 
wood), “nahuate,” and others. These woods are 
mostly used in the cabinet-making industry. Large 
quantities of ebony, also called “‘black sapota,” are ex- 
ported; this tree grows everywhere in the State, but 
especially in the region called the Huasteca. In the 
great central valleys and in the sierras by which they 
are crossed, are located the large forests, but trees 
are found all over the State, even near the seashore. 

Transportation.—The many railroad lines which 
cross the State in different directions, are naturally 
of great service in carrying the timber to the sea- 
ports, to be reloaded on the many ships that touch 
there, but there are still a good many difficulties 
encountered in bringing the timber from the forests 
to these railways. Some of the rivers in the State 
are certainly a great aid in the process, such as the 
Nautla, the Cazones, the Tecolutla, the Tuxpan, the 
Medellin, the Papaloapam, the Blanco, the San 
Juan, and the Coatzacoalcos, for they all flow in the 
desired direction. In some places the rivers had to 
be improved to accomplish that end. 


YUCATAN 


Reliable data concerning the extent of the forests 
in this State, and for that matter in any other State 
in the Mexican Federation—are not obtainable. In 
Yucatan they are scattered all over the State. The 
wood, mahogany, cedar, breakaxe, ebony, and others 
used for construction purposes. The timber is taken 
out over the existing cart roads or by rail. National 
timber predominating in them include Campeachy- 
forests can be leased from the Government for the 
purpose of cultivating the land, cutting timber or 


5 
; 
a 
4 
+ 





The Republic of Mexico 207 


firewood, collecting gums, such as rubber or “‘chicle”’ 
(sapodilla-gum) and bark from the ‘“‘chucum”’ tree 
used for tanning, or being converted into pastures. 
The taxes to be paid in each case are as follows: for 
pastures, 30 centavos (15 cents) a year per hectare; 
for cultivation, one peso (50 cents) a year per 
hectare; for the gathering of rubber or sapodilla- 
gum, 100 pesos (50 dollars) per ton; for cutting 
firewood once, one peso per ton; for cutting chucum 
bark once, 8 pesos (4 dollars) per ton. In leasing 
forests by contract extending over a period from one 
to five years, for the purpose of cutting timber or 
gathering rubber or sapodilla-gum, a tax of 50 pesos 
(25 dollars) is paid for every ton shipped. All such 
contracts are made with the local Agency of the 
Department of Public Works, generally located at 
the Capital of the State. In leasing forests for five 
or ten years a sum of 50 pesos (25 dollars) is paid 
for every thousand hectares. Such leases are ob- 
tained from the Department of Public Works at 
Mexico City, through its local Agency. No leases 
are granted for less than 100 hectares. These 
statements, however, are not absolutely reliable, in 
as much as new laws concerning the matter, may be 
enacted at any time by the Government. ‘The data 
concerning terms under which land may be leased 
do not refer only to this State, but to any section of 
the Mexican Republic. 


ZACATECAS 


Forests are found only in the southern and west- 
ern sections of the State, few in the center and none 
in the east and north. There are large numbers of 
trees in the Valley of Valparaiso, and the sierras 


208 The Republic of Mexico 


which form this valley are covered with forests of 
oak, the variety of timber that abounds most in the 
State of Zacatecas, but there are also pine, poplar, 
‘‘alamillo” (populus tremuloides), “palo blanco,” 
“palo colorado,” and evergreen oak, in smaller 
quantities. Willow and “sabine” grow along the 
banks of the rivers. As already stated, oak is the 
timber that predominates, its average yearly output 
reaching 500,000 tons which leave the State. ‘This 
wood is highly valued by industrialists and is gener- 
ally used by wheelwrights; poplar produces 700 
tons; ‘‘huisache,’”’ 4,000 tons; cedar, 620 tons; mes- 
quit, 5,000 tons; “‘palo blanco,” 600 tons; this wood 
is also called ‘‘acebuche” (forrestiera murocoides) ; 
there is another species of “palo blanco” which in 
botany is the ‘“‘celtis berlandieri’’; “palo colorado,” 
of the oak family, produces 920 tons; evergreen oak, 
600 tons; willow, 200 tons. Considerable quanti- 
ties of all this timber go to the machine shops of 
Aguascalientes, the most important of the kind in the 
Republic. 

Transportation.—The Central Railroad serves in 
the main in the transporting of the timber of this 
State; the Canitas line brings it, together with the 
timber from the State of Durango, to the mines of 
Sombrerete, Chalchihuites, Noria de San Pantaleon 
and other places. Carts drawn by animals are used 
for the hauling of the timber from the forests to 
the railroad stations or other points of the lines 
whence it is shipped. These cart roads are far from 
being in good condition, but a little energy and spirit 
of enterprise could easily raise them to the desired 
standard. The rivers, though most of the time 
carrying sufficient water, are of no use in the hauling 
of timber, because they run in a direction opposite 
to the one that is needed. 


eae eS ee ee. ee ee ae Loe ee 





CHAPTER IV 
LivE-STock RAISING 


The raising of live stock has always been one of 
the principal sources of wealth in the Republic of 
Mexico. ‘The truth is that it could scarcely have 
been otherwise, since all the necessary conditions for 
this very important industry are there. In some 
sections of the country the finest pastures are found, 
suitable for the raising of high grade cattle and 
horses; in other sections, such as the woodlands, 
numberless hogs can be raised with very little cost; 
in other regions, especially in the north of the 
Republic, sheep-raising is extremely profitable, 
while the raising of goats is successful in the waste 
lands. 

Conditions in the matter of stock-raising natu- 
rally differ according to the States or sections of 
Mexico. This field is at the present time one 
of those that offer the best prospects for the 
investment of capital. Live-stock raising has suf- 
fered a great deal in consequence of the revolu- 
tionary activities which lasted over ten years, but 
all present conditions indicate that a return to the 
former state of prosperity in this respect is not 
far off. 

In this chapter as well as in the others of this 
book all the desired information is found in regard 
to the different States and Territories, placed in 
alphabetical order. 


209 


210 The Republic of Mexico 
AGUASCALIENTES 


The principal “haciendas” or farms devote as 
much attention to cattle-raising as to agriculture. 
Not even those that are almost entirely given over 
to agricultural purposes, such as El Ojo Caliente 
and San Ignacio, fail to give attention to live stock. 
The whole of the State is greatly interested in 
cattle-raising, and the city of Aguascalientes is the 
place where one most frequently observes the_ 
‘“charro” (or cowboy) costumes worn by rich and 
poor alike, many of them being positively gaudy 
(which is the real meaning of the word “charro’’) ; 
these cowboys are adepts in horsemanship and their 
greatest pleasure is to be mounted on the high-spirited 
horses of this region. The Palo Alto, El Pabellon, 
La Honda, La Punta, Saucillo and Guadalupe ha- 
ciendas are large cattle estates where the raising of 
wild bulls is specialized in. The cattle is the product 
of crosses between Spanish bull stock and local 
breeds; the specimens are not very heavy, but are 
good fighters. 

Cattle are also raised for the meat market and 
the dairying industry, being generally of purely local 
grades, which are not at all noted for their fitness 
for either slaughter or milk-giving. 

In general the pasturage is that which grows nat- 
urally and consists of various “‘zacates”’ (kind of 
pasture grass), among which the so-called “‘zacate 
borreguero”’ is best suited for cattle feed. 

Cattle-raising could certainly be largely increased, 
as there are in this small State enormous tracts of 
land which are not used for that purpose; that is to 
say, that Aguascalientes has room for more cattle, 
and also there is room for the improvement of the 


The Republic of Mexico re | 


present breeds by crossing them with the Batavian 
or other kind of imported cattle. The most suitable 
section for cattle is the western which is rich in 
pasturage and does not suffer much from droughts, 
it being possible in any case to make small reservoirs 
from which to water the cattle. 

Aguascalientes carries on dairying successfully. 
Its cheeses are eaten in San Luis Potosi and also in 
Tampico, and that to a very large extent. Its butter 
is highly esteemed. 

Bee-keeping is engaged in in this State, and its 
annual product varies from 35 to 40 tons. It could 
be largely increased. 

Poultry-keeping is also carried on to a small ex- 
tent but could be increased, as there is always a 
market for these products in the towns of San Luis 
Potosi, as well as in Tampico and on the oil fields. 

The live-stock farmers of this section specialize 
particularly in horse-raising, the products of which 
are local breeds, though descended from crosses 
with Andalusian horses. 


BajA CALIFORNIA 


The raising of live stock has its difficulties in this 
section of Mexico, not only on account of the 
excessive heat, but probably more so on account 
of the scarcity of water. In spite of that, some 
live stock is being raised, especially of the minor 
kind, such as sheep and goats, for these thrive 
easier on dry lands and are satisfied with the water 
from cisterns. The haciendas of Quepo, Huerta 
Vieja, San Juan, Jesus Maria, Calamchi, Placeres, 
Santa Ursula, San Quintin, San Pedro, Calen- 
tura, Santa Clara, Guadalupe and a number of 


212 The Republic of Mexico 


others give some attention to cattle-breeding. 
As a rule, the grades of the cattle are not very 
high, for the Territory has climatic and other 
disadvantages which cause the stock to be of a 
rachitic kind. 

The pasturage is natural, such as grass, herbs, 
leaves, the browse of the mesquit, the thyrsus of 
‘ocotillo,” and various plants of the cactus family. 

We do not believe that there is any possibility of 
increasing live-stock raising in Baja California be- 
fore providing the regions, which have good feeding 
for the stock, with the necessary water from artesian 
wells; still less advisable would it be to import stock 
of the better grades, which require far better condi- 
tions than those that obtain here, in order to get any 
kind of results. On the other hand, a better grade 
of sheep and goats could be introduced, especially 
the kind known as merino (ovis aries hispanica). 
The kind called ‘‘dunes,” a little larger than the 
Dishley and yielding exquisite meat, would probably 
give good results, and, in view of the hard soil, the 
breeds from the Pyrenees might thrive well here. 
With regard to goats, the Cashmere would probably 
give good results, since the Angora, also a fine 
species, generally degenerates or at least loses some 
of its best qualities outside of its habitat. As to 
milk-giving breeds the real Maltese goat is to be 
recommended; the same is to be said of the Egyptian 
and Nubian stocks, all of which would easily adapt 
themselves to the climate and the soil of Baja Cali- 
fornia. 

Bee-rearing could be introduced, for there are 
numerous species of plants and flowers in the country 
that contain sugar and are not malignant. 

Poultry-rearing offers no chances in the Territory, 


The Republic of Mexico 213 


due to its great distance from large centers and the 
lack of means of communication. 


CAMPECHE 


The raising of live stock yields the best results in 
the District of El Carmen. Very large areas of 
natural pasturage are common in this section of the 
State, therefore the raising of live stock can be ex- 
tended here at will. Many farms or haciendas are 
found in this District that have four or five thousand 
heads of cattle. ‘he same kind of pasturage known 
under the name of “‘sabana”’ is also found in other 
Districts of the State, but cattle-raising meets, as a 
rule, with great difficulties, because there are no reg- 
ular roads to bring the stock to the desired markets, 
though in the District of El Carmen the splendid 
rivers serve this purpose very well. ‘The stock found 
on the farms is generally of the natural variety, 7. e., 
the one derived from the stock brought into the 
country by the Spanish Conquerors. Lately some 
stock has been brought in from Texas with very 
good results. Naturally a careful selection would 
eventually produce the stock most suitable to 
the country. There are artificial pasturages on 
nearly all plantations; the grass planted is the 
one called “‘parana”’ in the State and “‘egipto”’ in 
the State of Tabasco. These artificial pastures 
constitute a very useful factor in the raising of live 
stock. 

Sound commercial reasons should lead to a more 
extensive exploitation of the by-products of live- 
stock raising, especially with regard to hogs. Large 
quantities of lard have to be imported from the 
neighboring State of Tabasco, while all the butter 


214 The Republic of Mexico 


and cheese consumed comes from the United States. 

As to the raising of bees and poultry not much 
attention is paid to these industries. Honey is ob- 
tained from a small wild bee which produces little 
but requires no attention whatsoever. The honey 
this wild bee produces is very delicious, especially 
the kind called here “‘extabantun,” this being the 
name of a vine which grows abundantly in all sec- 
tions of the State. As for the poultry, no rational 
method is observed in rearing it; fowls are left in 
the open without any care, and, of course, the results 
are such as must be expected. Nevertheless it must 
be stated that the poultry raised in such primitive 
ways satisfies the local market. 


CHIAPAS 


Chiapas is unquestionably rich in live-stock rais- 
ing, and could be much more so, as the ranchers can 
readily dispose of all the products of the industry. 
The class of stock, which on account of climate, the 
nature of the soil, and the tastes of the people, is 
most suitable, is cattle. There are large numbers of 
cattle living in the plains, valleys, and in the forests. 
Up to the present time, the people of this State have 
troubled themselves very little about improving their 
herds, because they have the conviction that their 
cattle gives good returns, and it is a fact that the 
cheeses produced here are the best on the market, 
even superior to the famous “La Barca,” of the 
State of Jalisco, due to the richness of the pastures 
of the Chiapas meadows. 

The pastures are generally of spontaneous 
growth, artificial or cultivated grasses not being 
needed; the farmers also feed the cattle with 


The Republic of Mexico 215 


“tlazoles” (corn tops), stubble, barley straw, al- 
falfa, etc. 

Undoubtedly Chiapas is the State best adapted 
for an active development of the live-stock industry, 
cattle offering the most advantageous prospects, al- 
though, of course, much could be accomplished with 
other live stock, such as sheep, which would furnish 
wool, skins and other by-products. The entire 
Chiapas region is suitable for stock-raising. It 
would therefore be easy and highly profitable to 
give better attention to cattle by-products, such as 
fats, butter, and cheese, of which, as has been men- 
tioned, an excellent quality is produced, all of which 
would have a sure market, as they could favorably 
compete with the products of other parts of the 
country and abroad. ‘The annual milk-production 
exceeds two and a quarter million liters. (A liter is 
somewhat more than a quart.) 

Bee-keeping should be developed, as there are an 
infinity of flowers which produce the nectar necessary 
to supply the hives with, and there is a good market 
for the honey. 

Poultry-keeping, although offering a good field, 
would not be as profitable as the industries pre- 
viously mentioned. 

The haciendas of Chiapas, almost without excep- 
tion, devote themselves to the raising of cattle. 
Among these the following may be mentioned: Santa 
Rita, Los Toros, Hular del Suchiate, Santo Domingo, 
Samajoa, Grandeza, San Isidro, La Nueva, Monte- 
negro, Laguneta, Santa Maria, Santa Ana, Juncana, 
Triunfo, Nueva Esperanza, Chacalaltic, San Joa- 
quin, San Jose, Baja, Jotana, Palma Real, San Juan, 
Champa, Oajaca, Egipto, Lacanjah, Cayo, Venado, 
Resbalon, El Camino, El Real, San Miguel, Con- 


210 The Republic of Mexico 


cepcion, Chinchilla, Santa Lucia, Paredon, Hor- 
izonte, Santiago, Alamos, Jiquipila and many others. 


CHIHUAHUA 


Stock-raising is the principal source of wealth in 
this State. Its vast prairies feed millions of animals: 
cattle, horses, sheep, goats, donkeys, mules and 
hogs. If we had to give a list of all the cattle- 
ranches we would have to give the names of all the 
farms existing all over the State; therefore we men- 
tion only a few of them: El Espejo, La Mestenas, La 
Enramada, El Barrial, Encinillas, Punta del Agua, 
Alamos, Las Arenosas, El Rio del Parral, Victoria, 
El] Alamito, Corralitos, El Carcay, El Gavilan, 
Ramos, El Espindilena, Labor de los Terrazas, 
Dolores, Santo Torribio, Carretas, E] Tecuan, Los 
Llanos, La Purisima, Bustillos, La Laguna, San 
Jose de Babicora, Las Delicias. 

The cattle herds number more than a million 
head, most of them domestic breeds, but with an in- 
creasing proportion of cross-breeds of the native 
type with American grades, especially Jersey and 
Durham. Chihuahua obtains about forty-eight 
million liters of milk per annum, making some 2,000 
tons of cheese and 600 tons of butter. The herds 
of horses number about 300,000 heads, mostly a 
cross-breed of large animals. Chihuahua has for 
years provided horses for the Mexican Cavalry. 

There are also very considerable numbers of 
sheep, goats, hogs, mules and donkeys. Live-stock 
raising in all its varieties is the principal occupation 
and source of income of the people of Chihuahua. 

The pastures are exclusively of the natural type, 
comprising excellent growths, such as the ‘‘zacate 


The Republic of Mexico 217 


borreguero”’ (bouteloua oligostachya), camalote 
(panicum crus-galli), “cola de zorra’’ (muhlen- 
bergia affinis), ‘‘grama”’ (paspalum distichum) ; “te 
blanco” (bides leucantha). Corn tops, stubble, 
straw, etc., are also utilized for feeding; also the 
leaves of some trees and shrubs, the tender browse of 
the mesquit, the nopal, the ‘‘candelilla’” and some 
other plants. 

Although the number of cattle in the State seems 
to be very large it could be a great deal larger still; 
this should be the case with cattle and especially 
horses. Furthermore, the ranch-owners should pay 
more attention to the exploitation of the by-products 
of the stock-raising industry, of which at present not 
one-tenth is turned to account. ‘Thousands of cows 
are roaming about the immense plains, without their 
milk being utilized in any form. 

Bee-rearing is very little attended to and is not 
producing enough of honey and wax needed for local 
consumption. Most of the wild flowers, especially 
the so-called “‘estrellitas,’ white lilies of the field 
(milla biflora) and many others could very well 
support thousands of hives, without requiring the 
least attention. 

Poultry-rearing such as it exists at present in the 
State of Chihuahua does not amount to anything. 
Poultry farms in the neighborhood of the railroad 
stations would be a highly paying business. 


COAHUILA 


As a raiser of live stock this State is not so im- 
portant as other States of the Republic which are 
less extensive. This is chiefly due to the lack of 
streams in the vast areas of its territory, making the 


218 The Republic of Mexico 


existence of herds impossible. There are, neverthe- . 


less, a number of stock farms, the animals of which 
are of a far better grade than those in other regions, 
due to the fact that the farmers have been able to 
learn from the example of the United States. The 
most important stock farms are the following: Aura, 
Pajaros Azules (both in the Rio Grande district), 
La Babia, El Espinazo, Anhelo, Guadalupe (the 
first two in the district of Monclava and the other in 
General Cepeda), Colon, El Aguila, El Marques, 
La Cruz (all in Monclava), and others which raise 
cattle, horses, sheep, goats and hogs, all of which 
are cross-breeds. 

The pastures are generally of the natural type, 
there being an abundance of ‘‘zacate borreguero,” 
the kind of pasture most frequently met with, “‘can- 
delilla,” browse of the mesquit and other plants. 
Cattle and horses feed also on the nopal and the 
“biznaga’’ (carrot-like ammi), when they are very 
thirsty, and it is not a rare thing to see the animals 
open this plant with their hoofs, in order to quench 
their thirst with the moisture of the plant. Barley 
of which 5,400 tons are harvested every year, is 
also fed to the animals as is the stubble of corn; 
wheat and the other cereals are utilized for the 
same purpose. 

The raising of live stock can be greatly increased, 
provided the watering problem be solved in the 
proper manner. 

The kind of stock that promises the best results 
in this State under the present conditions,—very un- 
favorable as far as water is concerned—is the sheep 
to some extent, but chiefly the goat. Better grades 
of this class of stock than the ones existing now 
should be introduced. In those regions where con- 


The Republic of Mexico 219 


ditions are more favorable, as in the district of Sal- 
tillo, Monclava, Sabinas and others that have suf- 
ficient water, the stock is of a better grade, both as 
meat and milk producers. As we have already 
stated, the farmers as well as the stock-raisers profit 
by the example offered by the neighboring United 
States and make good use of it. 

There is in this State a tendency to exploit fully 
both the stock itself and its by-products. On an 
average 80 tons of cheese are produced every year, 
58 tons of butter, and about nine million liters of 
milk. 

The rearing of bees would flourish only in the 
well-irrigated regions, where there is an abundance 
of flowers. 

Poultry-rearing is very much neglected in the 
State, but all the necessary elements are there to 
make it a financial success, since the people of the 
State itself, now compelled to buy this kind of 
product from outside markets, would be the best 
consumer. 


COoLIMA 


Cattle-raising is one of the sources of wealth in 
this State; it is well attended to, though this does 
not mean to say that the stock farmers have made 
any serious effort towards bettering the grade of 
cattle, which is of native breed, a poor milk-pro- 
ducer and of little value to the meat market. 

The principal estates or haciendas give preference 
to the raising of cattle. “The most important stock 
farms in the State are: Estancia, La Capacha, 
Chical, Pisila, Alpuyeque, Los Limones, Buena 
Vista, San Joaquin, Cualata, Periquillo, Nogueras, 
Santiago, Canada, San Antonio, La Parranda, 


220 The Republic of Mexico 


Guerrero, La Magdalena, Xala, El Rincon del 
Barrio, El Cacao. 

A better kind of stock, as for instance the Dur- 
ham, should be introduced in the State; and with 
such a stock, which is a splendid meat producer, the 
State could take advantage of its favorable location 
in exporting live stock or meat. Furthermore, since 
the people of Colima are interested in the milk in- 
dustry, they should get the Jersey stock which yields 
plenty of milk and cream; the rich pasturages of the 
State make all this practicable. 

The pastures are of the spontaneous type: very 
nutritious herbs for the diverse classes of stock are 
extremely abundant. On the other hand, the water- 
ing places are plentiful, consequently there is no 
reason why the stock-raising industry should be any 
longer neglected. There are also plenty of fruits, 
like the guava and the “capomo’”’ leaves which 
not only help greatly in fattening the stock, but 
increase enormously the milk-producing quality of 
cows. 

Consequently the raising of cattle should be in- 
creased in this State, by crossing the native breeds 
with imported grades, either from the United States 
or Holland. ‘The grades of the horses should also 
be bettered in the same way; the region is very 
appropriate for this class of live stock. Strictly 
speaking there are no different regions in the State 
of Colima: the entire State has identical conditions; 
therefore, the raising of live stock offers everywhere 
the same splendid chances. 

At present, in spite of the poor grades of cattle 
that are raised in this State, somewhat more than a 
million liters of milk is obtained on an average 
every year; furthermore, about 100,000 tons of 


The Republic of Mexico 221 


cheese and some 80 tons of butter are prepared for 
the market. ‘These figures clearly demonstrate the 
strong inclination of the people of this State for the 
exploitation of cattle-raising and its by-products. 
Therefore, it would be an easy matter to extend 
every industry based on the raising of live stock. 
The tanning industry could also be developed to a 
far greater extent than is the case now, for there is 
in the State, besides the principal article, that is the 
hides, any amount of plants and barks of trees that 
produce tannin, such as the “‘cascalote” and others. 

It is to be deplored that in this country, due to 
a lack of proper knowledge in the matter of tan- 
ning, many thousands of hides are lost every year, 
not only sheepskins, but also hides of cattle and 
horses. Some quantities of raw sheepskins are 
utilized in the manufacturing of very simple articles 
for the use of the lower classes of people, but far 
larger quantities are entirely neglected and aban- 
doned. A large tannery established along modern 
lines should convert all this splendid raw material 
into ready cash. 

The bee-rearing industry must gradually develop 
in the State, first because the forests contain all that 
is necessary to nourish thousands of hives, and sec- 
ondly, because Colima has all the facilities for ex- 
porting the products of such an industry to the 
United States and Canada, which apparently are the 
best markets. 

Poultry-rearing is looked upon in this State, as in 
most others of the Republic, with the greatest in- 
difference; the people are still far from realizing 
that this industry, attended to and exploited as it 
should be, constitutes a very important factor in the 
economic life: of the State. 


222 The Republic of Mexico 
DISTRITO FEDERAL 


No stock-farming in the real sense of the word is 
carried on in the Federal District. As a rule, the 
large ranches and the haciendas which in no instance 
have the proportions noted in those of the State, 
keep cattle, especially cows, not so much for the pur- 
pose of raising them, as for the use of the milk. For 
this very reason the cattle raised in the District is of 
the finest grade in existence, generally Dutch, Swiss 
and American. 

This kind of stock needs, of course, the most 
careful attention, alfalfa being the principal feed in 
use. There are good pastures in the District, but 
not much use is made of them, except in the case of 
the cows which are occasionally taken to pasture to 
feed a little in the open. 

Of course, there is an ample field in the Federal 
District for the establishment of more industries 
based on dairying and its branches, for the consump- 
tion of cheese and butter is very large, the latter 
products being at present imported from Toluca 
and certain places of the State of Hidalgo. 

The same applies to the products of the bee-rear- 
ing and the poultry-rearing industries. Very little 
attention is given to them, though, as is quite nat- 
ural, the City of Mexico and all the other important 
places in the Federal District, are the best markets 
that can be desired for all that could be produced 
in the two fields. 


DuRANGO 
There are good stock-raising farms in this State, 


such as: Guatinape, El Registro, Alamo, Juan Perez, 
Saucillo, El Ojo, Santa Lucia, Catalina, Cacaria, La 


~~." 


The Republic of Mexico 223 


Mimbrera, La Punta, Juana Guerra, Bolsa de Fierro, 
La Rueda, Ancon, El Mortero, La Zarca, Sombrere- 
tillo, Chorro, Labor de Guadalupe, Navacoyan, San 
Hsteban, La Parada, Chinacates, Corralejo, Lajas, 
La Joya, Jicorica, Ramos, Atotinilco, La Estanzuela, 
Cruces, Canutillo, Masamitote. The cattle is prac- 
tically all of the native breed, although high grade 
live stock thrives well also. 

Natural pasturage is plentiful, among the most 
common being ‘‘zacate borreguero”’ (bouteloua oll- 
gastachys), “‘candelilla” (euphorbia antisyphilitica ) 
which grows in the calciferous soil of the,eastern 
and northern part of the State. ‘The cultivated 
pastures are: barley and alfalfa. Among the plants 
for cattle-feeding which grow spontaneously may 
also be mentioned the “‘aceitilla’’ (bidens leucantha), 
the “‘engorda cabras” (dales tuberculosa) and the 
tender shoots of the mesquit tree. 

Cattle-raising should be carried on to a larger 
extent throughout the State, especially in the Sierra 
Madre section, which is rich in grazing grounds and 
is well watered. In other parts of the State reser- 
voirs should be constructed, to facilitate the water- 
ing of the cattle. The Cuencame steppes could be 
utilized for cattle, sheep and goats; the strips of land 


6 


of La Zarca and other plains of the Inde section are . 


suitable for the raising of horses, mules and donkeys. 

The dairying industry would then have a wider 
field, as there are already good roads for the dis- 
tribution of its products, which are of a great value 
from an economic standpoint. 

The poultry farms in the La Joya and San An- 
tonio sections, near the city of Durango, used to 
give good results, and the same could be obtained in 
other sections of the State. 


224 The Republic of Mexico 


Bee-raising would give excellent results, as flowers 
are plentiful throughout the country. Torreon, 
Sombrerete, and other towns, both within and out- 


side of the State, are good markets for the products 


of the industry. 
' 


GUANAJUATO 


This State has always given much attention to the 
live-stock raising industry; the best proof of it is the 
fact that it produces annually some 7,500,000 liters 
of milk, 200 tons of cheese and more than 150 tons 
of butter, and utilizes a large number of hides of its 
stock farms of San Isidro, San Andres, La Mina, 
San Jose de Porto, San Cristobal, San Diego Incha- 
macuaro, Obrajuelo, San Nicolas, San Miguel, 
Jaral, Teresa, Agua Caliente, Providencia, Parciali- 
dad, Teneria del Santuario, Santa Maria, Elguero, 
and a great many others. 

The farmers in the State of Guanajuato raise 
chiefly cattle, but this does not mean to say that the 
smaller stock, such as sheep and goats, are not well 
attended to, for there are more than half a million 
heads of each of these kinds of stock, and about 
200,000 heads of cattle. 

The grades of these cattle are the same which 
have existed there ever since the epoch of the Span- 
ish Conquest. Much better grades could be intro- 
duced, for the pasture and water conditions are most 
favorable. The crossing with better kinds of stock 
would yield most excellent results, especially with 
regard to the by-products of the milk-producing in- 
dustry, and the figures we have given above could be 
easily triplicated. 

Natural pastures are plentiful all over the State; 





The Republic of Mexico 225 


for the animals that are kept in stables and barns 
cultivated pasturage, such as alfalfa and barley, is 
used; wheat straw mixed with corn and bran is also 
used for feeding the stock. The stubble is used for 
pasturage during the months of November and De- 
cember, especially for the fattening of oxen destined 
for the meat market. The latter usually fatten 
quickly, for besides the stubble, they find plenty of 
corn left in the fields by the harvesters. 

The herds of horses feed also on the natural 
pastures, such as ‘‘zacate,”’ the tender sprouts of the 
mesquit trees and a number of excellent herbs. The 
horses that are kept in stables are fed on the tops 
and leaves of the corn plant, barley and wheat straw, 
mixed, as already stated, with corn and bran. 

General conditions are splendid for the further 
development of the live-stock industry in the State 
of Guanajuato: this is especially true as regards 
sheep for the production of wool and skins; goats 
for the obtaining of milk and skins; and cows for 
dairying, the utilization of the milk products having 
grown appreciable in the manufacturing of sweet- 
meats, particularly in the making of the popular 
“cajetas de Celaya” (boxes of jelly of Celaya), 
which are sold everywhere in the Republic. 

Stock farmers in this State should try to replace 
the present low grades of stock with breeds, cross- 
ing the existing species with good American grades, 
for instance. ‘There are regions in Mexico where 
probably no grades other than the small native ones 
would thrive, but such is not the case in the State 
of Guanajuato. The whole region is one solid fine 
pasturage. 

Bee-rearing has its practitioners in the State, but 
not to the extent, which the existing favorable con- 


220 The Republic of Mexico 


ditions would warrant. It would be an easy matter 
to increase this industry which will always bring in 
good returns, since there are many good markets for 
its products. 

There is quite some poultry-rearing in the State, 
but it is not attended to in a modern way and on a 
scientific basis; therefore, the results are not what 
they should be, in view of the excellent market for 
poultry produce. 


(GUERRERO 


The State of Guerrero possesses excellent facili- 
ties for the raising of live stock, although it is 
handicapped by the lack of proper means of trans- 
portation. Its cattle herds are numerous, as can be in- 
ferred from the fact that its milk production reaches 
some 4,200,000 liters a year, not counting that 
which is turned into cheese, of which about 700 tons 
are exported to other places of the country, and the 
quantities that are used in the manufacturing of 
butter, of which somewhat more than 150 tons are 
obtained. ‘This data would make one believe that 
the stock farmers have taken special care in selecting 
their stock, but such is not the case, as the cattle 
raised belongs to the small rachitic native breed. 
Horses, mules, donkeys, sheep, goats and hogs are 
also raised in large numbers, though five times more 
could be raised without any special effort. 

The conditions of the roads have caused the 
farmers to devote special attention to the raising of 
mules, of which fine, strong large-sized animals are 
produced, for the saddle as well as for carrying 
pack loads. 

There are highly favorable conditions in the 
State for the extension of cattle-raising, and 


The Republic of Mexico 227 


consequently for the greater production of its by- 
products. 

Some farmers in the State devote particular at- 
tention to the rearing of bees, although the exploita- 
tion is not conducted as yet on a large scale; at 
present some 300 tons of honey and about go tons 
of wax leave the State every year. 

Poultry-raising on a large scale would do well 
from a commercial standpoint. Of course, such 
kind of enterprises must be located in places that 
offer the necessary facilities for the exporting of the 
produce. 


HIDALGO 


The land in Hidalgo possesses plenty of good 
pasture, and although cattle-raising is somewhat 
neglected at present, it forms a considerable part of 
the activities of the inhabitants. There are many 
haciendas which devote themselves in part to the 
raising of live stock, chiefly cattle, while at the same 
time engaging in agriculture in general and in the 
cultivation of the maguey plant, which is in great 
demand and thrives in the plains in particular. Not 
a few of these farms have cattle of good grade, 
mostly of the best breeds, which they use for dairy- 
ing purposes. Horse-raising is largely engaged in, 
as the people here, like those of the rest of the 
Republic, are very fond of horses. It is to be re- 
gretted that, as is the case in the State of Mexico, 
the stud horses are not improved grades of 
greater height and a less scrubby appearance, for 
instance, than those in the State of Zacatecas, which 
have to fight against unfavorable conditions, espe- 
cially as regards water supply. The pasturages of 
this section, located in the torrid zone, support a 


228 3 The Republic of Mexico 


large type of horse, which, from all points of view, 
is more profitable. The chief haciendas which de- 
vote themselves to stock-raising in addition to agri- 
culture are: San Antonio, Jala, Tepa, which is one 
of the best “‘pulque”’ brewing haciendas, San Miguel, 
Nextlalpan, Metepec, Montecillo, and a number of 
others. 

As a rule, the pasturage of those farms which are 
not distant from the stations of the railroads and 
can engage in the milk business are of cultivated 
variety, consisting of alfalfa and even the maguey 
plant, which imparts a peculiar and not very agree- 
able flavor to the milk. In other parts the pastures 
are natural-grown, the ‘“‘zacate,” “‘aceitilla’’ and 
various fodder plants being abundant. 

Hidalgo is one of the States that might further 
develop its live-stock raising industry and raise it to 
the level of that in the State of Mexico, which has 
greatly outstripped it in this respect. ‘There are 
here inducements for engaging in this important 
branch of industry as exist in that State, under con- 
ditions which could not be more favorable. Various 
lines of railroads connect Hidalgo with the Capital 
of the Republic, and the establishment of others 
will give it exceptional importance, especially when 
the projected line from Beristain (Puebla) to Tam- 
pico unites it to that port. For the present we may 
mention the sections of Apam, Tula, Tulancillo, 
Teocalco, Concepcion, Tellez as being good places 
to establish cattle ranches with the certainty of 
success. All these points are connected with the 
Capital of the Republic. The allied industries 
of butter-making, pig-raising, fresh and matured 
cheese production, etc., might be engaged in, which 
would be a paying proposition and would com- 


The Republic of Mexico 229 


plete the exploitation of the entire field of cattle- 
raising. 

The cattle which should be introduced is the same 
as are found at present at Tlalnepantla, Cuautitlan, 
Lecheria and Huehuetoca, in the State of Mexico, 
namely the Dutch breed which gives a large quantity 
of milk. In places located at a distance from the 
railroad lines, Durham cattle would give good re- 
sults, as it is fairly heavy. As regards horses every 
effort should be made to improve the stock now 
existing by means of cross-breeds with horses of 
English breed, but on the other hand, the latter are 
not suited to the Mexican pastures and would prob- 
ably involve an unproductive expenditure of money 
on the part of the landowners, who have made no 
attempt to improve their horses, either for riding 
or sport. The Andalusian type also thrives well, 
and most pleases the Mexican horseman. 

The State of Hidalgo could engage in the indus- 
tries connected with milk production to the same 
extent as is done in the State of Mexico; its products 
have a good market for all that could not be con- 
sumed locally or in other parts of the country. 

Bee-keeping is very much neglected. It should 
be increased or, rather, established. There is an 
abundance of flowers in its forests; the climate is 
mild, especially in the Tula and Tulancingo sections 
and in other localities, in which thousands of bee- 
hives can be kept. Honey is a product which is in 
great demand in the United States, and whatever 
quantity were produced would find a ready market. 

In the same way, poultry-keeping should be en- 
gaged in on a larger scale: first, because the in- 
digenous plants of this State are as excellent for 
poultry-feeding as are those of the State of Mexico, 


230 The Republic of Mexico 


and, secondly, because the products of this industry 
would find a market, and it would cost very little to 
ship them to the metropolis. 


JALIsco 


The State of Jalisco is also among the States that 
lead in live-stock raising. With the exception of 
the State of Chihuahua it has the largest number 
of cattle; it obtains about 30,000,000 liters of milk 
a year, some 300 tons of butter and more than 
4,000 tons of cheese, the most popular kind of which 
is that produced in La Barca, justly deserving of 
fame. All the haciendas in the State pay special 
attention, more so than in other parts of the Re- 
public, to the cattle-raising industry, and it is a pity 
that sufficient interest has not been shown in the 
matter of bettering the grade of cattle by crossing 
the existing breeds with a superior foreign kind. 
The pastures of the State support cattle of a larger 
size, and general conditions in the State are such 
as to make possible the raising of a more desirable 
type of live stock. The following are some of the 
most important stock farms in the State: El] Plan, 
Bella Vista, El Pabellon, La Herradura, Chacal- 
tepec, Ahuacapan, Cedros, Citala, Santiago, La 
Higuera, El Refugio, Huacasco, Hepazote, Santa 
Teresa, etc. There are about fifty more stock farms 
of equal importance with those just named. 

The pastures are generally of the spontaneous 
kind, usually composed of ‘‘zacate borreguero,”’ 
‘‘zacate camalote,” ‘‘zacate cola de zorra’”’ (muhlen- 
bergia affinis), ‘‘zacate de agua’ (andropogen ma- 
croura), “zacate liendrilla’”’ (muhlenbergia impli- 
cata), ‘‘zacate grama”’ (paspalum disticum), etc. 


The Republic of Mexico 29d 


The abundance of fine pastures, the existence of 
good watering places which could be largely in- 
creased by the construction of ‘‘jagueyes,”’ 7. e., large 
pools or basins, in many of the streams that water 
the State, the favorable climate,—all these circum- 
stances combine to encourage the increase of cattle- 
raising in this State. Stock-raising is already now 
one of the principal activities of the people of 
Jalisco. But, as already stated, the existing grades, 
cattle as well as horses, must be improved upon, 
especially with regard to size. Sheep and goat- 
raising has been pretty much neglected, and there is 
absolutely no reason why this should be so. The 
State should produce all the wool used as raw mate- 
rial by the factories established there, and mutton 
and goat meat from its own stock should help to 
feed the people; furthermore, the milk of the goat 
would be an important element in the cheese-making 
industry. 

Sheep and goats should be raised preferably in 
the northern and central sections of the State, while 
the southern and western sections are rather favor- 
able for larger cattle. 

As to the raising of bees a number of persons are 
already engaged in this industry, and not less than 
a thousand tons of honey and 200 tons of wax is 
produced in the State on the average every year. 
The products are as a rule exported to foreign 
countries. The extension of the bee-raising industry 
would pay well in Jalisco; all conditions that insure 
success are there. Not only beeswax, but also the 
kind called Campeche-wax is produced in Jalisco to 
the extent of not less than 100 tons a year. 

The raising of poultry is also engaged in, and a 
few poultry farms have already attained some impor- 


e32 The Republic of Mexico 


tance. Further development of this industry has been 
held up by the difficulty of transporting animals by 
railway in the course of which many of them perish. 


MExIco 


The very reasons that make the State of Mexico 
an agricultural center have compelled it to devote 
itself to cattle-raising; the State has won first place 
for having the largest number of the finest and the 
best milk-producing cattle in the country. Amongst 
the larger stock farms we mention the following 
few: Dona Rosa, San Nicolas Peralta, noted for its 
splendid fighting bulls; furthermore, the “Y,” on the 
banks of the Lerma river, San Mateo Cuaumantla, 
San Javier, Lecheria, Santa Monica and others 
which have fine stable cows and supply the City of 
Mexico with milk, cheese and butter. The large 
farms in the neighborhood of Toluca, as, for 
instance, Montecristo and others, those in the valley 
of Bravo, the district of Temaxcaltepec, Tenango, 
Ixtlahuaca, etc., breed mostly cattle of a high grade. 

The cattle in this State feed generally on pasture 
grass, that is at least in the southern valley. In the 
Toluca valley, on the other hand, there are no 
pastures, and the cattle live more or less on dry 
feed, such as alfalfa and barley, which grows here 
plentifully. Lerma and other sections feed their 
stock preferably on pasture, while Cuautitlan and 
Tlalnepantla use dry feed, especially in the case of 
cattle. Horses, sheep and goats enjoy also the 
pasture feed, which is known to be excellent, con- 
sisting of sage grass and herbs of different kinds. 
In the southern section of the State the pigs feed on 
the fruit that falls from the trees. In some locali- 
ties the hogs are raised together with the cattle that 


The Republic of Mexico 239 


are fattened for the meat market; in this case the 
principal food is corn. Excellent lard, bacon and 
pork are shipped from Toluca to the market of 
Mexico City. 

New grades of cattle could easily be introduced 
in the State of Mexico, as, for instance, the Dur- 
ham. As for horses, a better grade than the one 
bred now should be developed. 

It is claimed that the tapir (of which there are 
three different types in Mexico: the ‘“‘tapir,” the 
“danta” and the “anteburro’’) could be brought up 
as a domestic animal, yielding excellent meat and a 
valuable hide. The valleys near the river Balsas 
would be suitable for this purpose. 

The great demand for live stock of all sorts in 
the City of Mexico should be a sufficient incentive 
for the further development of the stock-raising 
industry in the State. 

Bee-rearing is fairly well attended to in this State, 
but it should be greatly increased. It brings in at 
present some 340 tons of honey, while the yield 
could and should be at least ten times as much. The 
forests have sufficient flowers to support any number 
of bee-hives, the product of which has an assured 
market in the City of Mexico. 

Poultry-raising is also well taken care of. One 
poultry farm located at Xinantecatl is doing a 
splendid business. There is plenty of room for 
similar undertakings which would be benefited by 
the proximity of the City of Mexico. 


MICHOACAN 


Owing to the richness of its pasturage and the 
fact that it is well watered by large rivers, perma- 


234 The Republic of Mexico 


nent streams, a number of lakes and lagoons, the 
State offers excellent opportunities for stock-raising. 
Michoacan is not a cattle country at the present 
time, owing to the almost complete extinction of its 
live stock, during the revolutions of the late years; 
but it had been an important cattle-raising country 
in the past and can become such again. ‘The ha- 
ciendas of Querendaro, Atapaneo, La Huerta, La 
Orilla and many others give special attention to 
live stock. Good breeds can be acclimatized here, 
as the necessary feed is not lacking. Cattle is the 
kind of stock that thrives best in Michoacan, but 
there is also a fair number of horses, sheep, donkeys 
and pigs, generally local breeds of good strains. 

The pasture on which they feed is natural grass, 
the quality of which is good, consisting of “‘zacates,’’ 
“aceitilla,” and a number of grasses suitable for 
cattle food. The fruit which is not utilized in the 
export trade or local consumption is fed to the live 
stock, the guava-fruit being very much liked by the 
cattle and goats, while every variety of fruit is eaten 
by the hogs. 

This state is, therefore, an unlimited field for the 
development of the live-stock industry, and we may 
add that in the south, hogs would thrive best. New 
species of stock should be introduced and would 
give good results. In this connection we may men- 
tion the tapir or “‘danta,’’ an animal abundant in 
the State of Chiapas, which is docile and easy to look 
after, and which no one has attempted to introduce 
into the State of Michoacan, where it should yield 
excellent results both on account of its hide and its 
fat, of which, as is well known, the tapir carries a 
good quantity. ‘The tapir should be raised, prefer- 
ably, on the south plateau, on the banks of the large 


The Republic of Mexico 235 


rivers, such as the Balsas, the Tepocaltepec, Ochua- 
yana, Marques and others. 

The dairying industry should be largely increased 
in Michoacan, because of the excellence of the pas- 
turage the dairy products would enjoy a good 
market. 

Bee-keeping and poultry-raising should similarly 
be looked after, as every necessary element exists 
in the State to make a brilliant success of these 
industries. 


MOoRELOS 


Much attention is given by the inhabitants of this 
State to the live-stock raising industry, especially so 
in the districts of Yuatepec and Cuautla. There is 
a fair quantity of cattle in the haciendas of El 
Puente, Altacamulco, Tenango, Santa Clara, La 
Abeja. In fact, live stock can be raised in all the 
haciendas, for good pastures are abundant and grow 
plentifully in all sections of the State. The various 
species of “‘zacate,”’ the “‘aceitilla,” and various 
other plants, also the ‘“‘capomo,” the leaves and 
fruit of which are a splendid feed for cows, having 
the peculiar quality of increasing greatly the pro- 
duction of milk, are abundant in this section of the 
country. Good markets are not far distant and 
would absorb the entire output, cattle as well as the 
by-products from the different stocks. 

For these reasons the growing development of the 
live-stock industry, of cattle as well as of horses, 
sheep and hogs, cannot be too strongly recom- 
mended. The climate is especially favorable for 
the raising of cattle, of both native and imported 
stock. There are also sections in Morelos which 
are especially suitable for the raising of horses, for, 


230 The Republic of Mexico 


while the soil is hard and firm, good pasturages and 
watering places are not lacking. Grades of a larger 
size than those prevailing now should be introduced. 

More by-products of the milk should be obtained 
in Morelos. ‘The pastures are of the kind that 
produce plenty of cream, and all that can be pro- 
duced in this line would have a good market in places 
that are not very distant. In fact, from those sec- 
tions of the State that are near the Federal District, 
milk could be taken to the City of Mexico every 
day; the reason why this is not done at present, is 
that the quantity of milk produced is not sufficient 
to make the trouble and the expenses worth while. 

Bee-rearing should be attended to, for there is 
an abundance of flowers in all sections of the State. 
There is already one large bee farm in Tlaltizapan. 
Still there is ample field for the extension and the 
intensification of this industry. 

There are also good reasons for the establish- 
ment in the State of regular poultry-raising concerns 
on a modern basis, for there is always a profitable 
market for all that can be produced in this line. 


NAYARIT 


Nayarit is fairly rich in live stock, but it could be 
much more so. Its large plains in the high plateaus, 
the deep passes and the valleys along the coast can 
feed large herds of cattle. During the rainy season, 
when the climate in the sierras is temperate but very 
hot in the region along the coast, large herds of 
cattle can be seen pasturing in the sierras; these 
herds come down to the valleys during the winter 
months when the cold in the sierras becomes insuf- 


ferable. 


The Republic of Mexico 297 


Cattle occupies the principal place in live-stock 
raising; this, however, does not mean to say that 
the raising of horses or that of mules and donkeys 
is neglected. ‘The traveler who has seldom seen a 
donkey except in captivity, is surprised to see in the 
high plateaus of the sierras of Nayarit large herds 
of donkeys, which, as a rule, are not caught 
and put to work before they are six years old. 
The people of Nayarit devote themselves consid- 
erably to the raising of mules, on account of their 
use on the very difficult roads in the sierras. 
Donkeys as well as mules are extremely useful in 
the State. 

Most of the estates or haciendas in this State 
give special attention to the raising of live stock; 
some of these haciendas are the following: Las 
Varas, Zacualpan, San Antonio, Carrizal, El Bor- 
bollon, Los Aguacates, El] Colomo, Ixtapa, La Pen- 
ita, Arroyo Puerco, Valle de Banderas, Maravillas, 
Puerta de la Lima, Navarrete, La Palma, La Lib- 
ertad, La Pressa, Guadalupe, Ibarra, San Lorenzo, 
and a number of others. 

The cattle that is raised belongs to the native 
grade, but stock of a better kind has already been 
introduced to some extent; this should be done, 
though, in a larger proportion, in view of the ex- 
cellent pastures, the watering conditions and the 
favorable climate which, in a general sense, shows 
neither high nor very low temperatures. ‘The 
horses are good, but of too small a size; some good 
cross-breeds should be developed. The mules and 
donkeys that are raised, are fairly large animals. 

The prevailing pastures are of the natural kind, 
that is to say, the spontaneously growing species, 
including several kinds of “‘zacates” (grass), sev- 


238 The Republic of Mexico 


eral species of fodder plants, the leaves of different 
trees and the fruit that falls off the trees. Corn 
stubble is fed to the cows, horses, mules and 
donkeys that are giving service of one kind or the 
other. . 

The raising of live stock could be greatly in- 
creased in the State of Nayarit, for there are ex- 
cellent conditions for all kinds of stock. Sheep and 
goats, that is good grades, should be introduced, as 
there is little of it at present. More attention should 
also be paid to the raising of hogs. It is quite prob- 
able that the introduction of the tapir (tapirus 
berdi) in the valleys near the ocean would be profit- 
able. 

Large quantities of milk, cheese and butter are 
produced at present, although not as abundantly as 
in other States. Certain conditions of importance 
in this matter are identical in both Nayarit and the 
State of Sinaloa which produces large quantities of 
cheese and butter for the American market; this line 
of activity will certainly attain the importance it has 
assumed in Sinaloa, as soon as the stock farmers of 
Nayarit realize its value. 

The poultry-raising industry finds favorable con- 
ditions in this State; it is scarcely attended to at 
present, because of the difficulty of transportation. 

Almost the same conditions prevail with regard to 
the bee-raising industry. ‘The entire State is full of 
flowers and plants containing sweet substances; con- 
sequently this industry should be developed to a 
large extent, particularly so because it involves only 
very little money and little attention on the part of 
the farmers. On the other hand, there is always a 
ready market for the products, especially in the 
United States. 


The Republic of Mexico 239 
Nuevo LEon 


The farmers of this State give full attention to 
live-stock raising in spite of the unfavorable condi- 
tions, especially with regard to water, prevailing 
nearly in all sections of the State. Consequently 
it is quite natural that in this section of the Republic 
mostly such kind of stock should have been intro- 
duced and cared for as is not very exacting in the 
matter of food and water. Goats are here the chief 
product of stock-raising, but cattle also is found in 
the southern section of the State and in the prox- 
imity of the rivers San Juan, Sabinas, Santa Catarina 
and others. 

The raising of horses is also engaged in where- 
ever conditions permit, but these as well as cattle 
are far less numerous than in the other States of the 
Republic. All the haciendas of the State raise stock, 
not only because needed in agricultural and other 
pursuits, but also because it constitutes an important 
article of food for the general public. Some of the 
haciendas that engage in live-stock raising are the 
following: San Felipe, La Fragua, El Castillo, 
Concepcion, La Lagunita, Boquillas, El] Puerto del 
Aire, Cruz de Elorzas, El Refugio de Cedillos, 
Pablillo, San Antonio, Cienega del Toro, Dolores, 
La Presa, La Candelaria, Horcones, El Carmen, 
and a small number of others. 

The pasture is of the kind that grows spontane- 
ously and comprises different kinds of ‘‘zacate’’ 
(grass), herbs, sprouts of the mesquit tree, nopal, 
‘“‘viznaga’’ (echinocactus electracanthus), “‘viznaga 
de chilillos”’ (mamillaria heyderii), “viznaga dulce” 
(echinocactus pilosus), and other species of the 
same plant, the leaves of the “grangeno’’ (celtis 


240 The Republic of Mexico 


pallida), the thyrsus of the ‘‘ocotillo” (fouquiera 
splendens), the ‘‘candelilla” (euphorbia antisyph- 
ilitica), the “gobernadora” (larrea mexicana), and 
some other shrubs or plants on which the goats feed 
when there is nothing else. 

As it is pasture that makes the stock, that found 
in the State of Nuevo Leon is generally small and 
rachitic. 

The raising of live stock could probably be im- 
proved and increased by watering some sections of 
land for the purpose of growing proper pasturage, 
and by constructing what is called in the country 
“Jagueyes”’ (large pools or basins) as regular water- 
ing-places for the stock. 

In the sections suitable for cattle-raising the 
natural pastures should be improved upon by plant- 
ing alfalfa and other fodder plants. 

The rearing of bees could be engaged in in the 
southern sections of the State and on the banks of 
the rivers San Juan and Sabinas. 

The poultry-raising industry is in a state of neglect 
and could be easily enlarged with but little money. 


OAXACA 


Here the lack of means of transportation is also 
detrimental to the live-stock industry. Because of 
the former the fine herds of cattle cannot be ex- 
ported. In order to get an idea of the wealth in 
stock of this State, it will be sufficient to state that it 
produces more than 400 tons of cheese and 2,000,- 
000 liters of milk, which could easily be multiplied 
tenfold if more attention were paid to the industry. 
Almost all the haciendas are engaged in live-stock 
raising as well as in agriculture. Among those 


The Republic of Mexico 241 


specializing also in live stock we shall mention the 
following: La Cienega, La Estancia, Cataro, Ale- 
man, Santa Teresa, La Era, La Luz, La Chindo, 
Candiani, San Joaquin, El] Vergel, El Rosario, Al- 
ferez, Crespo, and a great many others just as im- 
portant as those named. 

Cattle is the stock that is most abundant, although 
there are also numerous horses, sheep and goats. 
The former are native bred; they could be greatly 
improved by crossing with various foreign breeds, 
which would enable the raising of large-sized cattle, 
giving more and richer milk and carrying more 
flesh. 

Up to the present there has been no need for cul- 
tivated pasture feed for cattle, except for those in 
the urban centers which have to be stall-fed. ‘The 
pasturage consists of various kinds of “‘zacate’’ and 
other sorts of natural feed. 

New kinds of live stock might be introduced in 
the State of Oaxaca, such as the tapir, which would 
find conditions well suited for its development here. 
More attention should be paid to hog-raising, as 
the land is very well adapted to this kind of live 
stock. 

The inhabitants of Oaxaca have, of their own 
initiative, begun to develop milk product industries; 
they are making very good cheeses, which could with 
small effort be manufactured on a much larger 
scale: butter, for which there is a good and nearby 
market, and lard, could be used to better advantage. 
~The hides could be tanned in the State itself, as 
‘“cascalote”’ and tanning barks abound in the forests. 

Bee-keeping could be engaged in, and with every 
probability of success, as the product could readily 
be shipped to the United States and Vancouver, 


242 The Republic of Mexico 


Canada, where is a large demand for bee-products. 

Poultry-raising is also being attended to, but it is 
strictly confined to the supply of domestic needs. 
No attention has been given to the raising of poultry 
for the supply of its products to other markets, or 
the shipping of poultry for table use. 


PUEBLA 


The State of Puebla offers splendid opportunities 
for the development of the stock-raising industry on 
a scale assuring magnificent returns. The most im- 
portant live-stock raising farms are located near the 
flat sections of the State. A few of the principal 
haciendas are the following: Santa Ana, JTianguis- 
tengo, La Trinidad, La Axuchilera, Tres Cruces, 
etc. These haciendas, although devoting most of 
their attention to the growing of sugar-cane, engage 
to a considerable extent in the raising of live stock; 
they are located in the proximity of Acatlan. Many 
other similar haciendas are located in the district of 
Necaxa and in other sections of the State. In the 
State of Puebla is also situated the Tepeyahualco 
hacienda, where a famous species of bull for the 
bull-ring is raised. 

The pastures in all the haciendas: are of the 
natural kind, consisting of various species of 
‘‘zacates’” and herbs. Corn tops, stubble, barley 
and wheat straw are also fed to the animals, espe- 
cially to those kept in barns and stables. 

Stock-raising in the State of Puebla can be in- 
creased and the existing grades greatly improved 
by the right kind of crossings. The cattle should 
include a good species of milk-cows. The pastures 
in the State are excellent and all other conditions 


The Republic of Mexico 243 


of importance to the dairy industry are also favor- 
able; consequently there is no reason why the State 
of Puebla should not be able to attain the results 
which are obtained in the State of Mexico, in 
the matter of producing very fine milk, cheese 
and butter, all of which could easily be sold out 
of the State, after supplying, probably in a more 
satisfactory way, the needs of the domestic 
market. 

Farmers that devote themselves to the rearing of 
bees are not numerous in the State. This should 
not be so. The products of this industry are in great 
demand and all the necessary elements for its success 
are there; therefore, it deserves to a far greater 
extent the attention of enterprising persons. 

The raising of poultry in a more scientific manner 
deserves also more and better attention on the part 
of the people of this State. A fairly good grade of 
turkeys, the native home of which is really the 
Mexican territory, is raised here, but there is ample 
room for increasing and improving this valuable 
fowl. 


QuUERETARO 


As in the rest of the Republic, the inhabitants of 
this State also show a marked predilection for the 
raising of live stock, preferably of cattle, which 
yields the best financial results and for which the 
general conditions prevailing in the State are best 
suited. During the rainy season the plains are in- 
vaded by great numbers of cattle, but as soon as the 
winter sets in, they retire to the ravines and the 
valleys which offer better protection against the in- 
clement weather. 

Some of the haciendas that have a number of 


244 The Republic of Mexico 


cattle, nearly all of them located within the district 
of the city of Queretaro, are the following: La 
Muralla, Laborcilla, de la Torre, El Pino, San 
Diego, Cofradia, Santa Barbara, El Ciervo, Corral 
Blanco, El Rincon, El Ranchito, Los Espinos, 
Casa Blanca, Bravo, La Griega, Galeras, Ne- 
greta, Atongo, Espejo, El Alamo and a number of 
others. 

All the live stock that is raised in this State be- 
longs to the rachitic native grade. 

The stock that lives in the open feeds on natural 
pasture, consisting of ‘‘zacate borreguero,” “zacate 
grama”’ (paspalum distichum) and other species of 
the same grass, of “‘aceitilla’” (bides leucantha) and 
other herbs. 

General conditions are favorable for a more ex- 
tensive development of the stock-raising industry, 
but the cattle should also be greatly improved upon 
by procuring a better grade of stock. Queretaro is 
located in a peculiarly favorable section which is 
crossed for a long distance by railroad lines, and 
therefore has ample facilities for selling all it can 
produce in the line of stock and the by-products 
thereof. , | 

For the reason that there is a constant and good 
market for what can be produced, the raising of 
poultry deserves more attention than is given to 
it at present. Better grades of fowl, fed in a 
proper way will necessarily produce better financial 
results. 

Nobody in the State engages in bee-keeping, at 
least in a way worth while mentioning, not because 
it cannot be done, for everything exists to make the 
successful bee-rearing possible, but simply because 
the people have had no stimulus from anywhere or 


The Republic of Mexico 245 


from anybody to devote some of their time to an 
industry which requires little work or outlay of 
money, yet yielding products for which there is a 
constant and great demand. 


QUINTANA Roo 


There is no such thing as raising of live stock in 
the Territory of Quintana Roo itself, but the island 
of Cozumel has about four thousand heads of cattle. 
Then there is a certain amount of cattle around the 
villages of Solferino and Chicila, belonging to the 
El Cuyo Company, as is also in the section of the 
village of Santa Maria. Large areas of natural 
pasturage are found all along the coast and in some 
parts of the interior of the country; advantage 
could be taken of these for the establishment of 
large stock farms. As for the raising of hogs ona 
large scale, it would be an easy matter to plant 
yucca, prickless-pear trees and a number of other 
plants, all of which constitute a splendid feed for 
hogs. ‘Then there is in the Territory a great abun- 
dance of a wild-growing tree called ‘‘ramon,” the 
leaves of which are one of the best fodders for 
horses, mules and goats; the fruit of this tree is 
splendid for the fattening of hogs. Quintana Roo, 
as already said in other chapters of this book, is an 
entirely undeveloped country, where nothing is done, 
and where everything remains to be done. People 
coming to Quintana Roo to settle or to engage in 
the different kinds of business for which there is a 
splendid field, will find conditions for stock-raising 
particularly favorable. Mother Nature has en- 
dowed most lavishly this section of the Mexican 
Republic; here we have considerable stretches of 


240 The Republic of Mexico 


natural pastures, splendid forests and any amount 
of fertile land; nothing but the energetic exploita- 
tion of all these riches is required. 


SAN Luis Poros! 


This State is one of the most important from the 
point of view of stock-raising; the Huasteca sec- 
tion of the State has large haciendas which pay 
much attention to cattle-raising, there being some 
very good breeds, the result of careful crossing, 
which makes the cattle among the best, both for 
slaughter and for dairying purposes. Nearly all the 
large farms of the State engage in cattle-raising; 
among these may be mentioned the following: An- 
gostura, Peotillos, Bledos, Ojo de Agua, Gogorron, 
KE] Llano, Derremaderos, La Joya, Javali, Jesus 
Maria, and Herradura, which, besides being to a 
very large extent agricultural, indeed mainly so, de- 
vote considerable attention to the raising of good 
live stock. Then there are a number of coffee and 
fruit-growing estates which at the same time do 
some cattle-raising. The hacienda of Guanama is 
a grower of “ixtle’’ and also a considerable raiser 
of cattle; Preasa de Guadalupe and Anexas have 
“ixtle’’ and cattle; so have the plantations of El 
Salado, Pequenuelo, Santa Teresa, Cruces and many 
others. Other plantations are chiefly devoted to 
the cultivation of sugar-cane, but are at the same 
time cattle-raisers. 

The pasturage is natural in all parts of the State, 
the guava fruit being much liked and eaten by the 
cattle in the Huasteca section. It makes excellent 
milk, and as this fruit is abundant and springs up 
naturally, it is turned to account in this manner, for 


The Republic of Mexico 247 


want of any other outlet. The pastures are com- 
posed of various species of ‘‘zacate’’ and other 
grasses, all of them being of spontaneous growth 
and in great abundance, forming veritable forests in 
which the cattle can roam at will. In the western 
and central sections of the State the most prevalent 
kind of pasture is the ‘‘zacate borreguero”’ (lamb 
grass). For stall-fed cattle, alfalfa and oats are 
cultivated in various parts of the State, although not 
to such an extent as to make these crops worth 
mentioning. 

Cattle-raising has a magnificent future. The 
pasturages are of the very richest kind, in the first 
place; then there are also markets such as Tampico, 
Aguascalientes, Monterrey, Mexico and _ other 
towns, especially on the frontier, which can take all 
that can be produced. It seems that live-stock cattle 
is best adapted to the climate of the State, although 
hog-raising could be developed with excellent re- 
sults. In many parts of the Huasteca section there 
are immense herds of hogs, which are perfectly 
suited for the market, and do not require special 
feeding, there being an abundance of food for them 
in the grasses and especially the fruits which go to 
waste in the region. The amount of stock-raising, 
of both classes, can easily be doubled in this section 
with splendid prospects of success. 

The cattle-raising industry could be very much in- 
creased, and thereby create an opportunity for the 
extension of dairy products, for which there would 
always be a ready market in the State itself and in 
various places throughout the Republic. 

Poultry-raising is very little engaged in, the same 
is true of bee-culture, although there are excellent 
reasons why both should be carried on to a greater 


248 The Republic of Mexico 


extent: poultry-raising, because the inhabitants of 
this section could have a large quantity of eggs, a 
form of nourishment which is very wholesome and 
which could be popularized and cheapened, and, 
bee-raising because there are flowers in endless va- 
riety and quantity for the bees to feed upon. 


SINALOA 


Conditions in this State with regard to the raising 
of live stock are similar to those that prevail in the 
States of Sonora and Nayarit. ‘The people particu- 
larly favor cattle, of which fairly large numbers are 
raised, mostly stock obtained from the crossing of 
the native breed with foreign grades. Some hacien- 
das prefer the foreign stock altogether and raise no 
other but pure breed. ‘The. other kinds of stock, 
such as horses, mules, donkeys, sheep, goats and hogs 
are also receiving attention. The mule here is a 
large-sized animal, preferably employed in the carry- 
ing of the products across the sierras. 

There are in the State quite a number of hacien- 
das, partly or entirely devoted to the raising of live 
stock, such as those of El Roble, El Camelote, Las 
Higueras, Los Angeles, La Labor, El Carmen and 
others. 

The pastures are generally of the natural kind, 
consisting of grasses and herbs of different species, 
and also of certain fruits, such as the guave and the 
fruits and leaves of the ‘‘capomo’”’ (brossium alicas- 
trum). The hogs feed also on different roots and 
tubercles, like the roots of the “jicama’’ (dahlia 
coccinea) and others. 

All conditions required for successful animal hus- 
bandry are in Sinaloa such as to permit of a consid- 


The Republic of Mexico 249 


erable increase of live-stock raising. At present 
about 10,000,000 liters of milk are obtained an- 
nually, not counting, of course, the quantities that 
go into the making of some 2,000 tons of cheese and 
460 tons of butter. ‘The cheeses of Sinaloa are 
fairly well commercialized, especially the kind man- 
ufactured in Mocorito. The hides are tanned and 
otherwise utilized in the State itself. The people in 
this State are particularly interested in the stock- 
raising industry; therefore, it could’ and should be 
extended and possibly improved by the introduction 
of finer grades; such as the Jersey, the Guernsey, 
the Durham and others. Andalusian stallions 
should be imported, as this kind of breed, elegant 
and high-spirited, is the one preferred by the Mex- 
ican horsemen and is well adapted to the climate 
and soil of this section of the country. As for 
mules, it would seem that for riding and other pur- 
poses in the mountainous sections the best stock is 
obtained from the crossing with the Andalusian 
animals, while the Texas mule gives better results 
than the former in the different agricultural activi- 
ties. 

In this State as well as in many others it would 
certainly be profitable to acclimatize the ‘‘tapir.” 

There is plenty of room in the State for a more 
extensive exploitation of the by-products of the 
cattle-raising industry. 

The bee-rearing industry has already quite a num- 
ber of adepts in this State; some 260 tons of honey 
are produced at present, on the average every year, 
and 120 tons of wax, though the latter does not come 
entirely from the bee-hives, part of it being obtained 
from the Campechea-wood (hematoxylon campe- 
chanum). 


2450 The Republic of Mexico 


Poultry-raising is attended to in a certain way, but 
not by strictly scientific methods which if followed 
would make it really a profitable business undertak- 
ing. The “chacalaca,” a kind of wild fowl (or- 
talis vetula) is often found amongst the domestic 
fowls; this bird furnishes an excellent meat. Here, 
as well as in all other parts of Mexico, the turkey, 
generally known in Mexico under the name of “gua- 
jalote” (meleagris gallopavo), is especially raised 
for use in the preparation of the national dish called 
‘mole de guajalote.” 


SONORA 


This State is certainly one of the leaders in the 
raising of live stock. In this regard it has been 
greatly influenced by its proximity to the United 
States; its cattle are of the large-sized grades which 
predominate in the North American Union. The 
following data concerning the by-products of the 
cattle-raising industry give a fair idea of the im- 
portance it has attained in the State of Sonora. 
About 10,000,000 liters of milk, 6,000 tons of 
butter and 1,000 tons of cheese are produced on an 
average every year. ‘hese figures could be greatly 
increased by simply taking full advantage of the 
abundance of cows, a large number of which roam 
about with their calves, without being milked. 

Special attention is given in this State to the rais- 
ing of live stock as the only means to turn to account 
its vast extent of territory covered with pasture. 

The pastures are, as a rule, of the natural kind 
that grows spontaneously, viz.: grasses, herbs and 
the leaves of several species of trees and shrubs. 
Alfalfa, barley, stubs, and corntops are used as 
fodder for the animals kept in barns and stables, 


The Republic of Mexico 251 


There is plenty of room in the State, especially 
in the neighborhood of the rivers in the southern 
section of the State, near Guaymas, and in other 
sections, for the increasing of the live-stock produc- 
tion, particularly cattle. he northern and to some 
extent the northwestern section, with the exception, 
of course, of the desert, are suitable for the raising 
of sheep and goats. 

The principal live-stock farms in this State are 
the following: Cerrillos, Mayobampo, Huamuchil, 
Labor, San Vicente, El] Charco, El Prieto, Molina, 
Ojo de Agua, Providencia, El Mosco, El Ocuca, 
Pena Blanca, Chupadero, San Esteban. There are 
a number of other stock farms of minor importance. 

Hogs are generally raised by the poorer class 
of the population for the production of lard as well 
as meat for the table. 

No bee-raising worthy of the name is done in the 
State, though the fields and woods furnish any 
amount of flowers and sweet-juice containing plants. 

As to poultry-raising there is probably not a single 
house in the country that does not raise a number 
of fowls, but nowhere on a large enough scale to 
constitute an industry in itself. “Those that would 
engage in it, would certainly reap substantial gains, 
since in the State itself and across the border there 
is always a good market for poultry products. 


‘TABASCO 


Live-stock raising is another field in which Ta- 
basco prospers, and could be made to do so even to a 
larger extent. The pasture fields with feed of un- 
surpassable quality and facilities for the constant 
_watering of live stock at short distances, allow cattle 


252 The Republic of Mexico 


to develop in these regions without practically any 
care atall. Milk-cattle thrive especially well here, as 
they are best suited to the conditions of the section, 
but this does not mean that the State is not suited to 
other classes of live-stock raising. It would be easy 
to stock the flats of Tabasco with droves of high 
grade cattle. All the haciendas of the State devote 
themselves to the raising of cattle, and at the same 
time to agriculture and timber-cutting. We may 
mention some of them: San Isidro, Zaragoza, 
Chable, San Antonio, Tamarindal, Claudio, El 
Retiro, Gracias a Dios, Nuevo Leon, Reforma, 
Mulato, Jobo, El Playon, San Bernardo. 

The live stock of Tabasco, whether due to the 
favorable conditions under which it is raised or the 
special care which it has been receiving, is of fair 
size and grade, although probably not of a very well 
defined and pure breed. It would be easy for farm- 
ers here to improve their cattle by crossing them 
either with milking breeds for the dairy industry, or 
with heavier breeds in the case of those intended for 
the meat market. 

Pasture is natural everywhere, as in this part of 
the country there is always green grass; it is per- 
petual Spring here, and cattle choose the green pas- 
ture in preference to the drier meadows. So that 
in this State we do not have the picture of desola- 
tion presented by the cattle on the Central Plateau, 
which seems to fade away in the winter season. Here 
there is always plenty of food for live stock, how- 
ever numerous it might become. 

Milk-producing cattle should always be pre- 
ferred, owing to the fact that all the products can 
be turned to account and a ready market for same 
is awaiting in other countries, in consequence of 


The Republic of Mexico 253 


the excellent quality which the high grade feed 
insures. 

The reasons given for the development of the 
cattle-raising industry are applicable in the case of 
bee-keeping as well. The floral wealth of the for- 
ests goes to waste, without any use whatever being 
made of it. It could be easily utilized by means of 
busy hives of bees that would supply the market with 
an article in great demand today. 

Poultry-raising might also be engaged in, but the 
people of Tabasco give very little attention to it. 
These are small industries which might be engaged 
in along with others in this State, and would give 
the most splendid returns. The poultry could, after 
all, be looked after by the women, who would have 
an opportunity of attending to an easy business 
which requires little capital. 


TAMAULIPAS 


This State has made real progress in the matter 
of raising live stock. Its great plains of Jaumave, 
Las Rusias, Palmillas, Santa Barbara and others 
give food and shelter to a large number of cattle 
herds, the quality of the animals showing clearly the 
efforts of the stock farmers in regard to bettering 
the stock by means of crossing it with good foreign 
grades. Cattle is the kind of stock the farmers 
prefer, as being productive of larger profits. It 
produces on the average every year more than three 
million liters of milk, 30 tons of butter and more 
than 100 tons of cheese. In this respect the State 
of Tamaulipas is not inferior to other States, and 
superior to a great many of them; it is probably 
ahead of all the other States of the Republic in the 


254 The Republic of Mexico 


matter of producing tanned hides and articles made 
of leather, such as saddles, etc. 

All the haciendas of the State devote at least part 
of their efforts to the raising of live stock. Some of 
the most important are the following: San Jose de 
las Rusias, Paso de Barberena, El Sabino, Valle 
Blas, Las Rusias, San Jose, El Galeno, La Gloria, 
El Soliseno, Santa Teresa, Rio Bravo, La India, 
San Joaquin, El Porvenir, Los Cavazos, Jarachina. 

The pastures are generally of the natural kind, 
including different kinds of ‘‘zacates,” “aceitilla,” 
the tender sprouts of the mesquits, leaves and fruit 
of “capomo,”’ the fruit of the guava-tree, etc., etc. 
For the cattle kept in barns or stables, especially 
the horses, the corntops are utilized. Sheep and 
goats which abound in the northern section of the 
State, feed on zacate, ‘“‘lentiscus’” leaves (forres- 
tiera philliroideas), the leaves of the “encinilla”’ 
(croton dioicus), “candelilla” and other herbs. 

It is perfectly safe to state that from the time 
the craze for petroleum started in this region all 
other important enterprises which would promote 
the development of the State have been neglected. 
People come here from everywhere, all in the belief 
that the finding of gold, i. e., oil, is just a matter of 
reaching out their hands, but nobody comes to en- 
gage in the other branches of activities, some of 
which, as the raising of live stock, for instance, offer 
the best chances in the world to build up a fortune. 
The pastures in the State are excellent, and the 
climate is one of the best for the raising of all kinds 
of live stock. 

Cattle-raising could be increased in the region of 
Tula and Jaumave; horses, sheep and goats thrive 
best in the northern and central sections of the State. 


The Republic of Mexico 255 


The bee-rearing industry is well under way in this 
State, producing about 300 tons of honey and 40 
tons of wax per annum. With a little more energy 
and attention on the part of those that are inter- 
ested in this line of business, many times as much as 
is produced now, can be obtained, especially in the 
south of the State, where there is an abundance of 
what the little bee requires. 

There are really good reasons why far-sighted 
business people should fully and scientifically engage 
in the poultry-rearing business in this State, where 
the many important oil camps by themselves con- 
stitute a very desirable market for all that can be 
produced in this line. 


TLAXCALA 


Nearly all the haciendas of the State devote their 
attention to live stock, and even those farmers who 
are engaged principally in the production of “‘pul- 
que’ endeavor to raise stock, as this is their only 
means wherewith they can retrieve the loss of the 
“maguey’ fields. As a matter of fact, the cattle 
graze freely upon the large plains of Tlaxcala 
among the maguey plants, without injuring the 
latter, which the cattle do not like as food and with- 
out detriment to the subsequent product of the plant. 
Some of the haciendas which have live stock, al- 
though they are far from considering themselves 
cattle ranches are as follows: Cuesillos, San An- 
tonio, Techalote, Zoquipa, San Miguel, Amantla, 
Ia Luz, Recoba, Ixtafiayuca, Tlatzalan, San Nic- 
olas el Grande, San Cristobal and a large number 
of other plantations. 

The pastures are almost entirely natural: ‘‘za- 


250 The Republic of Mextco 


cates” and other grasses in which the region 
abounds, all of which are of a quality which allows 
of the development of the stock-raising industry. 
The live stock here is in general of the spare and 
deteriorated local type but, in view of the high 
quality of the pastures and their abundance, we are 
of the opinion that the latter would be capable of 
supporting better and heavier cattle than they do at 
present. ‘The land is especially suitable for the 
raising of donkeys rather than horses, the flat open 
lands of ‘Tlaxcala not furnishing much protection 
either from wind, rain, or the great heat of the day. 
There are no large trees under which live stock may 
take their midday ‘“‘siesta.”” For the same reason, 
the raising of mules may also be recommended. 
Horses should be raised more in the Huamantla 
and Puebla valleys, where the maguey plant has 
ceased to be the predominating cultivation and 
where there are woods and plenty of watering 
places for the stock. Both sheep and goats would 
thrive in the State. 

The same reasons which have been instrumental 
in making Toluca develop its dairying and allied in- 
dustries, exist in Tlaxcala as a rule. High table- 
lands grow the same type of grasses in Tlaxcala as 
in the high valleys of Toluca, and the same results 
would be obtained. In the State of Mexico there 
has been a slow though steady replacement of the 
native type of stock with milk-giving breeds, and the 
same is to be recommended in Tlaxcala. It is im- 
possible to attempt to develop and extend the dairy- 
ing industries with the present cattle, as this has 
only barely enough milk for the raising of the young, 
or yields a very small quantity of it to the cattle- 
owners. It is essential to improve the grade of 


The Republic of Mexico 257 


cattle if it is desired to turn the pastures of Tlaxcala 
to profitable account. Lard, butter, cheeses, would 
find a ready market. 

Bee-keeping could be developed in this State, es- 
pecially in the sheltered Valley of Huamantla, where 
it would be safe for the bees and afford them more 
shelter against inclement weather. 

Poultry-keeping might be engaged in to a greater 
extent, with very excellent results. 


VERACRUZ 


The live-stock raising industry is very well at- 
tended to in this State. The regions of the Huasteca 
and those in the south of the State keep enormous 
herds of cattle which is the kind of stock preferred 
by the farmers. But cattle is found not only in the 
sections just named; it is bred in all the “‘haciendas”’ 
(farms) even in those which are principally devoted 
to agricultural activities. Some of the most im- 
portant haciendas are the following: Nopalapam, 
Corral Nuevo, El Sacrificio, El] ITecomate, El Car- 
men, Tuzamapam, Mahuixtlan, La Orduna, Zim- 
pizahua, La Capilla, Almolonga, Paso del Toro, La 
Ternera, Las Animas, La Peregrina, enampa, 
Concepcion Ceron, Tlaxcanta, Potrerillos, Catalan, 
etc. 

The pastures are as a rule of the kind that grows 
spontaneously, and everywhere of excellent quality. 
The milk-giving cows receive generally the leaves 
and fruit of the “‘capomo”’ (brossium alicastrum) 
which have the peculiar property of increasing 
greatly the milk-producing power of the cows with- 
out in any way damaging its quality. It is also 
customary to give the cattle the bagasse of the cane 


258 The Republic of Mexico 


which serves greatly to nourish and fatten the stock. 
The corntops and the stubble are utilized for the 
same purpose. 

Veracruz is a vast field for the raising of cattle; 
its soil can support much larger numbers of stock 
than those raised at present. It would certainly be 
a good step towards progress if the farmers would 
care to better their stock by means of appropriate 
imported grades. The native breed, as a rule, is 
small and does not carry the quantity of meat that 
the good pastures of the country should warrant. 
The milk-producing qualities of the native cows 
are far from being satisfactory, for often they 
do not produce enough to properly feed their 
calves. 

There is still an ample field in the State of Vera- 
cruz for the further development of the stock- 
raising industry, especially in the central sections of 
the State. But better attention should be paid to in- 
creasing the corresponding by-products, such as 
cheeses and butter, for all of which there is a splen- 
did market in the numerous settlements and towns 
in the oil-fleld regions of the State. Already at 
present the production of milk, butter and cheese is 
very large, but, as already said, there is a g00u 
market for a great deal more. 

Some attention is given in this State to bee-rear- 
ing, but the quantities of wax and honey produced 
are not even sufficient to satisfy the local demand; 
it should also be remembered that, the various 
sections of the State being such a favorable field 
for this kind of industry, an increased activity in 
this direction would be amply recompensed, since 
there is always a ready market for wax and 
honey. 


The Republic of Mexico 259 


The reasons which we have giveri for the need of 
establishing regular poultry farms in the State of 
Tamaulipas apply also to this State. There could 
certainly be no better market for fowls for the table, 
and eggs than that offered by the native and foreign 
population in the numerous rich oil fields located in 
different sections of the State. 


YUCATAN 


Most of the plantations in this State have a cer- 
tain number of live stock. There are also a few 
farms devoted entirely to the raising of cattle, but 
none of any importance. Still more insignificant is 
the raising of horses, sheep and goats. 

The State has quite a large area of natural pas- 
tures, especially on the coast and in its eastern and 
southern part; these pastures are amply provided 
with watering-places. It would be very profitable 
to raise live stock on a large scale in the above- 
named sections of the State, chiefly cattle, but also 
horses, hogs, sheep and goats. There is in the State 
an abundance of “‘macal,’’ a species of tuber, pump- 

kin, ‘jicama” and prickless Indian pear, all of which 
constitute a splendid feed for live stock. The ex- 
tension of the raising of live stock would not only 
bring enormous wealth in itself, but should cause the 
exploitation of the by-products, such as butter, cheese 
and lard, of which at present practically all is im- 
ported from foreign countries. 

Poultry-raising in a modern form and on a large 
scale would also offer good business prospects. 

The raising of bees on a larger scale than has 
been done up to now and with modern means might 
yield splendid results. 


260 The Republic of Mexico 
ZACATECAS 


Live-stock raising is in this State, as in that of 
Aguascalientes, the principal line of activity engaged 
in by the people. All kinds of stock are raised, but 
preferably sheep and goats for which the condi- 
tions of the land are most appropriate. 

The grades of this kind of stock that are raised 
are fairly good. Nearly all the haciendas have more 
or less live stock, some of the most important being 
the following: Atotonilco, San Martin, Cieneguilla, 
Crunidora, Colorada, Santa Catarina and a number 
of other plantations or farms, some of which de- 
vote most of their attention to the raising of goats 
and sheep, while others raise preferably horses, but 
all of which as a rule have besides the preferred kind 
of live stock, a certain number of cattle. 

As to the grades of the stock, they are in most 
cases of the native type, but very carefully selected 
and to some extent the result of intelligent crossing 
with imported breeds. Some haciendas have raised 
horses, cross-breeds from English, Andalusian and 
Arab stock. Andalusian and to some extent Texas 
donkeys are used in the production of mules; the 
sheep species is derived largely from the Merinos 
stock. ‘The original native breed of cattle has been 
greatly bettered with Dutch stock as well as Dur- 
ham. Some haciendas, such as Malpaso, Abrego, 
Ameca and others make it their specialty to raise 
steers for the bull-ring. 

The pastures are of the spontaneously growing 
kind; in the northern section of the State ‘‘cande- 
lilla” grows plentifully and is eaten by the cattle. In 
the rest of the State the kind of grass that pre- 
dominates is the ‘“‘zacate borreguero.”’ The horses 


The Republic of Mexico 261 


like to eat the tender sprouts of the mesquit tree 
and the “nopal’”’ which serves at the same time to 
quench the thirst of the animals. 

Some of the large haciendas have tried to solve 
the serious problem of procuring regular watering- 
places for the animals by building reservoirs and 
large pools or basins which are called “‘jagueyes.”’ 
These improvements will have to be extended and 
multiplied in the State, in order to make possible the 
full exploitation of the fine pastures that grow there. 
The entire State of Zacatecas is extremely suited 
for the raising of live stock, but, as already stated, 
the watering problem must be solved first. 

Under such conditions it would be possible to 
obtain far larger returns from the industry, espe- 
cially from the milk products, which are bound to 
be of the finest quality, in view of the excellent pas- 
ture that is found in the State. 

Nothing is done in this State in the matter of bee- 
keeping; the wax and honey consumed comes from 
the State of Durango. The truth is that this section 
of the Republic is not suited for this industry, due 
to the dryness of the soil and the consequent want of 
flowers in sufficient quantities. 

Poultry-keeping is also neglected, without there 
being any real reason why this should be so; there- 
fore, it would be profitable to introduce the raising 
of poultry on a large scale and a scientific basis. 


CHAPTER V 
COMMERCE 


The Republic of Mexico is one of the few priy- 
ileged countries in the world that can call them- 
selves absolutely self-sustaining as far as natural re- 
sources are concerned. The country produces all 
imaginable raw materials for all kinds of industries, 
and in the matter of foodstuffs it should need nothing 
from the outside. In the production of minerals, 
especially silver ore and petroleum, it plays the role 
of a world provider. 

All that Mexico needs is peaceful, rational and 
intensive development. 

The commercial balance of Mexico in all essen- 
tials is in favor of the country, for it exports more 
than it imports. 

The bulk of the Mexican trade is carried on with 
the United States, export as well as import. Eng- 
land comes next. Furthermore, Mexico does busi- 
ness to a larger or lesser degree with all the other 
trading nations of the world. 

The official management of all commercial affairs 
in Mexico is in the hands of the State Department 
of Industry, Commerce and Labor,—Secretaria de 
Industria, Commercio y Trabajo. 

Since the object of this book is not to give a 
“general” idea concerning all business conditions 
and possibilities that obtain in the Republic of Mex- 
ico, but a fairly complete knowledge of the economic 


262 


The Republic of Mexico 263 


development of every one of the States and Terri- 
tories that compose the country, we give in this 
chapter full details concerning the export and im- 
port trade of all the different sections of the country, 
indicating at the same time the banking facilities 
available in every State. 

The general commercial conditions of each one 
of the States and Territories of the Republic, such 
as are shown in this chapter, give a fairly good idea 
of the possibilities for increased or new commercial 
enterprises. The commercial activity of each State 
is clearly shown by its export and import trade, 
which, of course, refer to the interstate commerce 
as well as to the trading with foreign countries. 
“Import” and ‘‘export”’ are terms which in our case 
have the significance of trading with markets other 
than those of the State itself. 


AGUASCALIENTES 


Export.—Silver is exported from Aguascalientes 
in large quantities in the form of bullion, both to the 
Capital of the Republic and to the countries abroad. 
Exportation of this product and other metals is no 
less than 38,000 tons of silver, 4 tons of gold and 
some 18,000 tons of copper, the product of its splen- 
did foundry. Corn is shipped to the extent of 19,000 
tons, the market for this cereal being the State of 
Zacatecas, also San Luis Potosi and Tampico; quan- 
tities of beans are also exported to the same places. 
The timber is partly used by the railways and partly 
by the mines of the State itself, only a small quan- 
tity being sent away. Fruit is sent, principally, to 
Zacatecas, and grapes go to San Luis Potosi, Zaca- 
tecas, Salinas and other places. 


204 The Republic of Mexico 


Import.——The State imports machinery of all 
kinds from the United States; and hardware from 
Germany; cashmeres and cloth come from the fac- 
tories of the Federal District and those of Puebla 
and Veracruz, and a small quantity from abroad. 
The chocolate and vanilla used come from the States 
of Tabasco and Veracruz. ‘The coffee used in 
Aguascalientes is chiefly from the Huasteca Poto- 
sina region (State of San Luis Potosi), mostly 
‘Ffuasteco”’ and “Caracolillo”’ sorts, and a smaller 
part from Uruapan. Groceries in general come 
from the State itself and from abroad (United 
States mostly). Large quantities of different kinds 
of fruit come into the State from the States of San 
Luis Potosi, Queretaro and Michoacan. 

Banking—Present banking facilities are offered 
by the ‘Comision Monetaria”’ and the ‘Banque 
Francaise du Mexique.”’ 


BAJA CALIFORNIA 


Export.—The export trade of the Territory of 
Baja California consists principally of metals, mostly 
in the form of bullion; the quantities of copper, 
gold, and especially silver taken out of the Territory 
are quite large. Gold is abundant in this section of 
Mexico, and the absence of a more vigorous ex- 
ploitation of this precious metal is chiefly due to the 
unwillingness or the incapability of the people,— 
native or foreigners, to submit to certain inconven- 
iences, especially with regard to the scarcity of 
water. The Territory exports also tannin-yielding 
material, such as “‘cascalote,’”’ “palo blanco” (lysil- 
loma candida), bark of the red oak (quercus vir- 
ens); furthermore, “‘orchilla’’ (rocella tinctoria), 


The Republic of Mexico 205 


salt, precious stones, pearls, tortoise-shell, fish, 
hides, vegetable oils, and a few other things in small 
quantities. 

Import—The Territory imports yarns and fab- 
rics, especially the cheap kind, such as “‘mezclilla”’ 
(paper and salt cloth), cheap blanket cloth, per- 
cales, muslins, calico, etc.; also some glassware, cut- 
lery and hardware, especially mining tools. 

The export as well as the import trade is ex- 
tremely limited in this State by the small number of 
inhabitants, which, as already stated in another 
chapter, scarcely reaches 50,000 people. 

The foodstuffs are generally imported from other 
sections of the Republic, and the other articles come 
from the United States. 

Pearls and mother-of-pearl shell go partly to the 
City of Mexico and partly to foreign countries. 

The commercial houses that trade in the Terri- 
tory are of little importance; there is not one that 
does any banking business. 

There will probably be an increase in trade as 
soon as the port of Mazatlan, which is not far from 
the ports of Baja California, establishes direct com- 
munication with the State of Durango. This refers 
especially to the pearl trade, and to some extent to 
minerals, timber and fruit. 


CAMPECHE 


Export.—The principal articles of exportation in 
the State of Campeche are the fiber of a Mexican 
agave, known as sisal hemp on the American market 
and as “henequen”’ in Mexico, and the gum of the 
sapota-tree, called “‘chicle.”’ ‘The yearly average 
quantity of sisal exported varies between 25,000 


266 The Republic of Mexico 


and 30,000 bales, each bale weighing generally 170 
kilos; the yearly export of sapodilla-gum averages 
from 30,000 to 40,000 quintals (one quintal is 
equal to one hundred-weight, that is 50 kilos or 100 
metric pounds). Coconuts, Campechea-wood and 
fine timbers are also articles of exportation, the 
United States being the market for all of them. 

Import.—The principal articles imported into the 
State are the following: canned goods, candles, 
soaps, flour, lard, dry-goods, hardware, notions and 
groceries. 

The eventual increase of the export and import 
trades depends entirely on the further development 
of the agricultural branches which constitute the 
main wealth, present and future, of this State. 

Banking.—All banking business is done in this 
State through the “Comision Reguladora del Mer- 
cado del Henequen,” the Mexican Exploitation 
Company, Roberto S. Boyd, Jose de la Pena & 
Hermano, Domingo Diego, Sucrs. Up to the time 
of the publication of this book there has been no 
regular bank in this State. 


CHIAPAS 


Export.—The State exports nearly all of its cul- 
tivated products, with the exception of those we have 
named in the chapter devoted to Agriculture: corn, 
haricot beans, sugar-cane, cocoa, coffee, cabinet- 
maker’s woods, carpentry and construction woods, 
sisal fiber, vanilla, “‘lechuguilla,” cheeses, fats, but- 
ter, tanned and untanned skins, fruits and small 
quantities of a few other articles. 

All these products could be exported in much 
larger quantities and to an unlimited extent. Chiapas 


The Republic of Mextco 207 


could export enormous quantities of ‘‘pochote,”’ 7. e., 
the cotton from the pochote-tree, sarsaparilla, vari- 
ous textile plants, dyeplants, live cattle, corned meat 
or “pemmican,” salt, etc. Thus the export trade of 
the State is not as high or as active as the resources 
of the latter would permit. Workers and capital 
are needed to make this Federal unit one of great 
trading activity. 

Import.——Import business is confined to such 
products as are not produced in the State, especially 
manufactured goods, machinery, implements, cloth, 
glassware, shoes, felt hats, office supplies, station- 
ery, books, printing machinery, etc. ‘The countries 
from which these articles are imported are almost 
exclusively the United States and to a smaller ex- 
tent the South-American Republics on the Pacific 
coast. 

Banking.—The principal banking establishments 
operating in Chiapas are: in the town of Tuxtla 
Gutierrez: Custo & Co.; in Tapachula: H. C. Let- 
cher, Irillasca Hnos., the executors of the firm of 
Jose Revuelto. They engage in all classes of loan, 
financing, exchange and draft business, except the 
issue of paper currency. 


CHIHUAHUA 


Export——The State of Chihuahua exports prin- 
cipally live stock, cattle as well as horses, mules, 
donkeys, sheep, goats and hogs, to other sections of 
the Republic as well as to the United States. It 
exports, furthermore, hides, preserved meats, some 
corn, beans, flour, Irish potatoes, tobacco, lentils, 
some timber, metals in the form of bullion and ore. 

Import.—The articles imported include machin- 


268 The Republic of Mexico 


ery, automobiles, tractors, trucks, diverse cloth fab- 
rics, petroleum, gasoline, paper, glassware, dry- 
goods, silks, books, cotton blankets, hats, shoes, etc. 
A large proportion of the machinery comes from the 
United States, and some of it from Germany, where 
also most of the hardware comes from, as well as 
the printers inks and dyestuffs; the shoes come 
mostly from the United States and some from the 
Mexican factories. Saddles come from Leon, Ja- 
maulipas and other parts of the Republic. 

There are plenty of opportunities in the State for 
larger commercial activities in the export as well as 
in the import trade. 

Banking.—The following are the firms that do 
banking business in the State: In Chihuahua: Jorge 
Johnstone; Rafael Calderon, Jr.; Alberto V. Gar- 
cia; Hiriart Hnos.; Mariano Pacheco; David Rus- 
sek & Co.; in the town of Casas Grandes: Genaro 
Galaz; in Ciudad Juarez: Compania Bancaria de 
Ciudad Juarez, S. A.; David S. Russek & Co.; in 
the town of Parral: David S. Russek & Co. 


COAHUILA 


The prosperity of the State in agriculture, in 
mining and in various other fields of human activity 
make commerce in general very prosperous; it is 
very active, in the export as well as the import trade. 

Export.—Since the State produces a great deal 
more cotton than it can utilize in its few factories, 
much of it is exported to the factories of the States 
of San Luis Potosi, Guanajuato, Puebla, Tlaxcala, 
Veracruz and the Federal District. It exports also 
large quantities of coal. The coal mines of this 
State produce an average of 1,000,000 tons every 


The Republic of Mexico 209 


year, most of which leaves the State, either for other 
sections of the country or the United States. This 
State furthermore exports not less than 50,000 tons 
of the “ixtle” fiber; the “guayule” produced in this 
State and the one coming from the States of Du- 
rango and Zacatecas go to foreign countries via 
Torreon, Coahuila, It exports also brandy of an 
excellent quality, the kind distilled in Cuartro Ciene- 
gas and Parras deserving special mention. The cot- 
ton is exported either directly by the producers 
themselves or by the “Compania Algodonera In- 
dustrial”; this concern makes it its business to pro- 
cure suitable lands for those that wish to plant 
cotton, and to get hold of all the cotton it can for 
its export trade. 

Commercial conditions in this State are excellent, 
for there is more demand for what it produces than 
it can supply. 

Since the State produces only certain articles, it 
has to import many others either from other parts 
of the country or from foreign lands. 

Import.—Coahuila imports chiefly agricultural 
implements and machinery in general, also dry- 
goods, shoes, groceries, cereals, books, etc., and all 
the other articles which the State does not and can- 
not produce itself. Hardware is mostly brought 
from Germany; machinery, automobiles, trucks, gas- 
oline, dry-goods (partly), groceries, paper (partly) 
are imported from the United States. 

Banking.—The banking institutions that operate 
in the State are the following: Banque Francaise du 
Mexique, La Comision Monetaria, La Lagunera 
Agricola, David S. Russek & Co., Celso Garza Gon- 
zalez, all of these in the town of Torreon. Several 
of these concerns have branch houses in the most 


270 The Republic of Mexico 


important towns of the State. Some firms do con- 
siderable business in buying and selling live stock, 
cotton seed and similar products. 


CoLIMA 


Export.—The State of Colima exports about 
15,000 tons of sugar-cane, 2,000 tons of sugar, 400 
tons of panocha or raw sugar, 1,000 tons of mo- 
lasses, 250 tons of coffee, 200 tons of ‘“‘cascalote,” 
500 tons of sweet potatoes, 40,000 tons of corn, 
2,000 tons of rice; nearly all the fruit mentioned in 
the chapter on Agriculture, some timber, untanned 
hides, live stock and fish. The principal market 
for these products are Mexico and foreign coun- 
tries, especially the United States and Canada. The 
export trade can be increased and certainly will be 
increased as soon as Colima begins to fully exploit 
all the products of its lands. The State, further- 
more, exports a large quantity of salt from its 
excellent saltworks of Cuyutlan, Cualata, Pascuales, 
San Pantaleon, Guazongo, Guayabal, etc. About 
20,000 tons of salt are produced in these works, 
most of which go to the interior of the Republic. 

Import.—The State of Colima imports different 
clothes and wearing apparel, furniture, wines and 
liquors, groceries, dry-goods, notions, hardware, 
machinery, paper, books, etc. Most of these goods 
come from other parts of the country and partly 
from the United States. 

Banking.—The following are the houses that do 
banking business: Salvador Ugarte, in the Capital 
of the State and in the most important towns of the 
State; several Commission Houses do similar busi- 
ness, as do also some of the merchants. All their 


The Republic of Mexico 2k 


operations, of course, do not amount to much. The 
truth is that banking has not as yet been developed 
in the State. 


DisTRITO FEDERAL 


Commerce is very prosperous in the Federal Dis- 
trict, as can be gathered from the fact that its 
population is largely made up of government of- 
ficials, a very numerous element which consumes 
much without producing anything. Furthermore, a 
very large population dwells in a small area of the 
District which is a splendid commercial center. The 
import trade is, of course, very considerable, but the 
export is also quite important, comprising a number 
of articles which are manufactured within the terri- 
tory of the District. 

Mexico City, the Capital of the Federal District 
and at the same time of the Republic, plays the role 
of a huge commission house, and as such it receives 
numberless articles from the different foreign coun- 
tries and from the different sections of the Republic 
and re-expedites them, we might say, all over the 
country. 

Export——Of its own products the District ex- 
ports, mostly to the interior of the country, vege- 
table oils, starch, chemical products, furniture, am- 
munition, perfumes, wines, flours, tanned hides, 
cement, chocolate, candies, silk, glass, mirrors, ma- 
chinery. ‘The fine cigarettes produced by the fac- 
tories in the Federal District also form an important 
item in the trade; they go all over the country 
and even to foreign markets. The Mexican export 
trade to foreign countries mostly includes raw 
materials; in the Federal District there are no raw 
materials in sufficient quantities to be exported; 


rye v2 The Republic of Mexico 


consequently there is no export trade to foreign 
countries, except for products in transit from other 
States. 

Import.—The import trade is, of course, very 
important and includes all imaginable articles for 
everyday use, and for special purposes. Anything 
one might desire or need can be had in Mexico City; 
here are stores of all kinds, many of them fashioned 
after the large department stores of the great 
American cities. As already said, Mexico City is 
to a certain extent the central market or depository 
for all the other parts of the country. It would be 
a difficult task to enumerate all the commodities that 
are brought in, either from the other States, as cer- 
tain raw materials and foodstuffs, or from foreign 
countries, such as automobiles, trucks, farm imple- 
ments, machines and machinery of all kinds, luxury 
articles, wearing apparel, fine furniture, notions, 
groceries, paper, books, etc., etc. 

Banking.—There are a large number of banking 
houses in the City of Mexico that do every kind of 
fiscal business, except the issuing of paper currency. 
Such banks are the following: Banque Francaise de 
Mexique, Banco Asturiano, American Foreign 
Banking Corporation, Anglo-South American Bank, 
Zembrano & Hijos, Eulalio Roman, Banco Central 
Mexicano, S. A. Banco de Londres y Mexico, Banco 
Germanico de la America del Sur, Banco Hipote- 
cario de Credito Territorial Mexicano, S. A., Banco 
Internacional e Hipotecario de Mexico, Bank of 
Montreal, Caja de Prestamos para Obras de 
Irrigacion y Fomento de la Agricultura, S. A., 
Credito Espanol de Mexico, Mexico City Bank- 
ing Corporation, Mortgage & Loan Banking 
Company. 


The Republic of Mexico 27e 
DuRANGO 


Both export and import are engaged in. 

Export.—Cotton is exported to the extent of 
20,000 tons, on the average every year; corn, 750,- 
ooo hectoliters; beans, 40,000 hectoliters; wheat, 
9,000 tons; guayule, 5,500 tons; fruits of various 
quantities, and an immense quantity of timber and 
woods. 

Export trade would improve, if the methods of 
cultivation were more scientific and the crops were 
turned to fuller account. 

Import.—The State imports cattle for meat sup- 
ply and for the dairying industry, as well as for 
oreeding purposes, the markets from which they 
come being the States of Chihuahua, Nayarit and 
the United States. Machinery, cloth, notions, hard- 
ware come practically all from the United States. 

Banking.—The State of Durango possessed years 
ago an issuing bank, that of Durango, and also 
branches of the Bank of London and Mexico, the 
Banco Nacional de Mexico, the Banco Minero de 
Chihuahua, Banco de la Laguna, which did splendid 
business. At present there are no banking institu- 
tions in the State. 


GUANAJUATO 


Export.—The State exports an enormous quan- 
tity of its products, mostly to other markets of the 
Republic. Large quantities of cereals leave the 
State: of corn not less than 200,000 tons; beans, 
some 10,000 tons; sweet potatoes, 3,000 tons; pea- 
nuts, 2,000 tons; barley, 9,000 tons; chickpeas, 
5,000 tons; wheat, already turned into flour, not less 
than 45,000 tons; it exports also large quantities of 


274 The Republic of Mexico 


fruit and manufactured goods, such as leather goods, 
common shoes, riding saddles, straw hats, crockery, 
blankets, shawls, soaps, mats, needle-work, jellies, 
cotton blankets, muslins, cashmeres, percales and 
woolen fabrics. 

Import.—The State of Guanajuato exports a 
great deal more than it imports; its trade balance 
is therefore in its favor. The articles imported into 
the State comprise machinery of different kinds, es- 
pecially farm implements, for gradually the farmers 
of this State are adopting the most modern methods 
and machinery for their work; automobiles, trucks, 
rubber goods, fine clothes, silk and woolen fabrics, 
high grade shoes, felt hats, hardware, typewriters, 
sewing machines, fine crockery, cutlery, paper, books, 
etc., etc. Most of what is imported comes from 
foreign countries. Agricultural and other machin- 
ery, tractors, trucks, rubber goods and automobiles 
come from the United States; some machinery, hard- 
ware and other articles, such as dyestuffs come from 
Germany. France and England furnish the finer 
kinds of silks, perfumes, toilet articles, cashmeres, 
woolen and fine cotton goods, books, glassware, etc. 
A small quantity of the goods of this class comes 
from the Mexican factories. Guanajuato imports 
large quantities of cotton from the Laguna section 
in the States of Durango and Coahuila. Some cot- 
ton it receives from the States of Colima, Michoa- 
can, San Luis Potosi and Tamaulipas. Cotton is the 
only kind of raw material which the State imports 
for its factories, and great efforts are being made 
to make the cotton-using industries independent of 
outside sources. Guanajuato imports also sugar, 
molasses, wines, beer, liquors, cigars, national and 
American groceries, canned meats, etc. 


The Republic of Mexico Pe 


Banking.—In consequence of its commercial, agri- 
cultural and industrial development, the State does 
a considerable banking business through the follow- 
ing houses: Bruno Cortez & Co., Felipe Osante in 
Sinaloa; Banco Nacional de Mexico, Compania 
Comercial del Centro, in Irapuato; De Votie & 
Lujan, in the city of Guanajuato; Banque Francaise 
du Mexique, Luis Caballero, in Acambaro. These 
firms execute all kinds of banking transactions, with 
the exception of the issuing of paper currency. 


GUERRERO 


Export.—Although considerably handicapped by 
the lack of proper means of transportation, the 
State of Guerrero sends out its products to different 
parts of Mexico and even to the United States. It 
exports cotton, sesame, sugar-cane, brown sugar, 
molasses, bee-honey, wax, cheeses, butter, tropical 
fruit, castor oil, cotton-seed oil, coconut oil, sesame- 
seed oil, campechea-wax, cane-rum, essence of 
‘linaloe,” straw hats, cabinet-making and carpentry 
woods, silver, lead, copper, tin, cinnabar, coal, opals, 
hides, mats, marble, gold and rubber. The quanti- 
ties which leave the State are more or less two- 
thirds of the total given in the chapters on Agricul- 
ture, Forests and Mining. 

The exportation of metal represents about five 
million pesos (2,500,000 dollars) a year. As to 
vegetable oils, it exports annually about 500,000 
liters of cotton-seed oil, 100,000 liters of coconut 
oil and more than 500,000 liters of sesame-seed oil. 
These figures show that there is in this State a very 
active trade, in spite of the natural difficulties of 
getting the products out of its territory. 


270 The Republic of Mexico 


Imports.—As to the import trade, the State of 
Guerrero buys large quantities of cloth fabrics and 
clothes, paper, books, diverse manufactured articles, 
machinery, groceries, wines and liquors, beer, 
notions, dry-goods, hardware, cigars, shoes, etc., 
etc. These articles come to a large extent from 
other markets of Mexico, and some of them from 
the United States and other foreign countries. Auto- 
mobiles, tractors and trucks are brought exclusively 
from the United States. 

Banking.—-At present there is no firm in the State 
of Guerrero that engages mainly in the banking 
business; a banking institution is, of course, very 
much needed for the easier and further utilization 
of business opportunities in this State. 


HIDALGO 


Export.—The State exports metals: gold, silver, 
copper and others; cement, especially the kind called 
Portland which is made in Tolteca, and of which not 
less than 12,000 tons are annually sent to the Capital 
of the Republic; lime in large quantities, “pulque,”’ 
no less than 70,000 hectoliters per annum; bricks in 
large quantities; also rum, sugar, brown sugar, 
common earthenware, flour, some soap, yarns and 
textiles. Almost all this goes to the City of Mex- 
ico, whence it is re-exported to other markets or 
is locally used. The State exports woods, although 
not in very large quantity as already stated in an- 
other chapter. 

Import——The State imports cashmeres, cloth, 
sheets, blankets, hats, shoes, beer, wine and liquors, 
national and foreign-made groceries, mineral waters 
and other beverages, machinery, cutlery, fine porce- 


The Republic of Mexico ay 


lain, glassware, hardware, high grade furniture, 
drugs, etc. 

The imported products come, to a large extent, 
from the Mexican Republic: some cashmeres, 
clothes, hats and shoes are imported from abroad. 
Agricultural and metal-working machinery, looms, 
etc., come from the United States; hardware and 
drugs come principally from Germany. Wines are 
of Spanish and French manufacture, beer and min- 
eral waters are made locally. 

The shipments of cereals and other agricultural 
products are made direct from the haciendas or 
ranches producing the commodities. 

Banking.—The banking institutions are the fol- 
lowing: Enrique Pineda, the Banco de Hidalgo, and 
the branch of the Banco Nacional. As is the case 
with similar institutions in the rest of the country 
they only engage in loan, draft and discount business. 


JALIsco 


In view of the large production in the agricultural, 
live-stock raising and industrial fields, commerce is 
naturally very active in this State, and would be 
considerably more so if there were proper means of 
communication between all the sections of the State. 

Export.—The export trade is considerably larger 
than the import trade, though the latter is also very 
important. Not less than 200,000 tons of corn 
leave the State; 6,000 tons of beans; 9,000 tons of 
chickpeas; 10,000 tons of sugar-cane; 500 tons of 
bee-honey; 40 tons of molasses; 2,300 tons of brown 
sugar; 600 tons of tobacco; 300 tons of rice; 6,000 
tons of rum; 2,700 tons of “‘tequila’’; 5,400 tons of 
flour; 36,000 tons of “‘capulin’”; 7,000 tons of 


278 The Republic of Mexico 


peaches; 2,000 tons of “‘jicama’’; 3,000 tons of sweet 
potatoes; 1,400 tons of peanuts; and quantities of 
other fruits and vegetables; furthermore, 60 tons of 
beeswax; 3,000 tons of cheese; 100 tons of butter; 
30,000 liters of coconut oil; 32,000 liters of linseed 
oil; 4,000 liters of castor oil. The State of Jalisco 
exports also a large quantity of timber, especially 
for the cabinet-making, carpentry and construction 
industries, some fish, live stock, tanned and untanned 
hides, and skins; somewhat more than 2,600 tons of 
lard; metal bullion, crockery, especially earthenware 
known in the country as crockery of Guadalajara 
which is greatly appreciated; these goods have not 
only utilitarian but also art value; some “‘chicalote”’ oil 
is also exported, coffee, indigo, dyestuff, vanilla, some 
coal, marble, “‘tecali’” (a kind of transparent marble) ; 
fine crockery, alcohol, cochineal, good cloth fabrics 
from its factories of Atemajac, Experiencia, and Rio 
Blanco, such as cotton blankets, woolen blankets, 
coarse cotton cloth, cheap blanket cloth; also needle- 
work, glass, candles and a number of other articles. 

The export trade of the State can easily be in- 
creased, especially as soon as means of direct com- 
munication with the States of Durango and Zacatecas 
have been established, for then Jalisco can easily 
secure the entire trade of these two States. As soon 
as the Southern Pacific road is finished, Jalisco will 
be able to obtain the markets of the western coast 
of Mexico with its many products. 

Import——The import trade consists of national 
and foreign groceries, wines, silk, woolen and cotton 
fabrics, especially the fine kinds, machinery of all 
kinds, fine furniture, glassware, notions, hardware, 
tractors, automobiles, trucks, petroleum, gasoline, 
fine crockery, house and office furniture, stationery, 


The Republic of Mexico 279 


books, electrical articles, shoes, jewelry, canned 
meats and fruit, etc., etc. 

Many of the articles named come from different 
markets of the country, others are imported from 
foreign countries, especially the United States. 

Only part of the cotton consumed in the factories of 
Jalisco is produced in the State; a large amount has to 
be brought in from the States of Colima and Micho- 
acan; the wool used comes from the sheep raised in 
the State, and some is imported from the States of 
Zacatecas and Aguascalientes. Petroleum and gaso- 
line are imported from other parts of the country. 
The City of Mexico furnishes most of the books, 
especially the textbooks for the elementary schools. 

Commerce in this State is very important. There 
are many commercial firms which either import di- 
rectly or serve as intermediaries between the local 
market and the other national and foreign markets. 

Banking.— The banking business done in the State 
of Jalisco is of great importance, consisting of every 
kind of banking operations, with the exception, of 
course, of the issuing of paper currency. The most 
important of these firms are the following: Men- 
doza & Co., in Ciudad; Guzman, Brewer & Gaysin- 
sky, Comision Monetaria, Banque Francaise du 
Mexique, Banco de Jalisco, Salvador Ugarte, A. R. 
Downs, Federico Kunhardt & Hno., Martinez Gal- 
lardo & Robles Gil in the city of Guadalajara; in 
Lagos de Moreno, Perez Sandi Hnos.; in Ocotlan, 
Antonio Cortes; in Sayula, Jose Eguiarte; in Tecal- 
itlan, Cueva Lopez. 


MExIco 


Export.—The State of Mexico is a very active 
commercial center. On special trains it sends twice 


280 The Republic of Mexico 


a day most of the milk supply for. the City of Mex- 
ico. The quantity of milk annually exported in this 
way amounts to about 60,000,000 liters; it exports 
also ‘‘pulque’”’ to the amount of some 20,000 tons; 
‘‘tlachique,”’ 32,000 tons; cheese, 300 tons; lard, 500 
tons; and large quantities of beer; also preserved 
meats, vegetable oils and soaps, blankets and various 
other manufactured goods, as well as about 200,000 
tons of corn and large quantities of fruit. Mostly 
all of these articles are shipped to the City of Mex- 
ico, whence they are re-shipped to other points of 
the Republic. 

The export trade from the State could be enlarged 
by establishing more sugar mills and by installing 
modern machinery for the more intensive utilization 
of milk products. 

Import.—The State imports the following goods: 
cashmeres, cloth, earthenware, glassware, hardware, 
matches, candles, petroleum, gasoline, high grade 
cattle, electrical goods, machinery of all kinds, etc. 
The major portion of these goods are of foreign 
origin, especially from the United States. 

Banking.—The banking institutions in the State 
do very good business; they are: the National Bank 
of Mexico, the State Bank of Mexico and the French 
Bank of Mexico, which do the ordinary banking 
business and in this manner help in the development 
of commerce, rendered somewhat difficult, however, 
by the absence of paper money. 


MICcCHOACAN 


Export-—Michoacan being a very productive 
State, it ships a large part of its products to various 
markets in the Republic and, as we have already 


The Republic of Mexico 281 


stated in another part of this book, it would be 
capable of supplying the wants of the whole nation 
if it only had rapid transit facilities. It exports 
corn, a large quantity of rice, wheat, flours, sweet 
potatoes, oats, “‘cascalote,’’ chickpeas, exquisite 
fruit, woods and metals, sugar, rum, brown sugar, 
sugar-cane, flax, tobacco, indigo, cotton, “‘ixtle,”’ 
tanning bark, sesame, vanilla, “mezcal,” ‘‘pulque,” 
honey, untanned hides and skins, live cattle for the 
meat market, and many other products. Export 
could be increased by better transport facilities; this 
is the great need of the State. 

Import——The State imports every kind of ma- 
chinery and machine parts, especially agricultural 
implements and machinery, as the wealth of the 
State is based upon agriculture; machinery for the 
sugar industry, there being several splendidly 
equipped sugar mills; machinery for the mining in- 
dustry and also for many other purposes. This 
machinery comes chiefly from the United States 
and to a small extent from Germany. Michoacan 
imports cashmeres, worked cloth, sheets, hats, 
common blanket cloth and every class of manu- 
factured products; furniture, silks, dry-goods, 
and hardware, the last being of German manv- 
facture. 

Many of the haciendas or farming estates must 
be considered important business houses, as they 
engage in independent export and import trades. 

Banking.—Michoacan has an agency of the Com- 
ision Montaria for banking operations. The Banque 
Francaise du Mexique has the firm of Miguel Es- 
trada, in the City of Morelia, as its authorized 
agent for the transaction of financial business in its 
name. 


282 The Republic of Mexico 
MoreELos 


Export.—This State exports large quantities of 
sugar, sugar-cane, brown sugar, molasses, rum, fruit 
and timber. Not less than 45,000 tons of sugar 
leave the State, mostly for the market of the City of 
Mexico; of sugar-cane, some 500,000 tons every 
year; of brown sugar, 3,000 tons; of rum, 22,000 
tons; of molasses, 35,000 tons. Morelos exports 
about 7,000 tons of rice, and as far as fruits and 
timber are concerned we may consider the quantities 
indicated in the chapters on Agriculture and Forests 
as export trade. 

The export trade of the State could be greatly in- 
creased not only in the matter of its present products 
but also with regard to other articles which should 
be produced in factories established in the State, 
instead of all the raw material being sent out, as is 
now the case. Large quantities of fruit that go to 
waste, could be preserved and canned and sent away. 
Many articles which need a large percentage of 
sugar could be manufactured in the State, such as 
sweets, candies and chocolate. The main article of 
commerce of the State of Morelos is sugar. The 
growing of sugar-cane is the typical occupation of 
the people of this State. 

Import.—This, of course, makes the State de- 
pendent on other markets for all such articles and 
products which it does not itself produce. It imports 
large quantities of fabrics of all kinds, machinery, 
especially such as is used in the cultivation, harvest- 
ing and utilization of sugar-cane. It imports also 
other kinds of machines and instruments, type- 
writers, sewing machines, etc., hardware, notions, 
shoes, wearing apparel, stationery, books, etc., etc. 


The Republic of Mexico 283 


Most of these things, especially machinery, trucks 
and other articles of this sort come from the United 
States; the national factories furnish the cheap kinds 
of cloth fabrics and yarns, cheap cotton blankets, 
cloth, percales, muslins, etc. Some machinery, elec- 
trical goods and hardware is imported from Ger- 
many. 

Banking.—At present there are no banking insti- 
tutions in the State to facilitate business operations, 
and commerce is probably greatly handicapped by 
this. Some of the firms established in the State do 
certain banking business through correspondents 
and agents of the banks of the City of Mexico. 


NAYARIT 


Export.——Though seriously handicapped by the 
lack of proper means of transportation, the trade of 
this State is of considerable importance, since it sends 
out large quantities of sugar-cane, corn, fruit, live 
stock, timber, cotton, sugar, tobacco and other 
articles. 

Most of these articles, such as the fine timbers, 
fruit, cheeses, butter, live stock, untanned hides, 
go to foreign countries, especially the United States; 
the interior of the country buys sugar-cane, sugar, 
brown sugar, molasses and palm hats. The natives 
of the States of Durango, Sinaloa, the northern 
section of the State of Jalisco and those of Nayarit 
itself call these hats ‘“‘sombreros huicholes,” for the 
reason that the Indians of the Huicholes tribe manu- 
facture most of them. Those that travel in the 
sierras of Nayarit often observe large caravans of 
Indians who drive their beasts of burden, generally 
donkeys or mules, weaving at the same time these 


284 The Republic of Mexsco 


hats for which they use the leaves of a palm-tree 
growing in that region and which they call “‘soyate.”’ 

Import.—The State imports large quantities of 
manufactured articles of all kinds, fabrics, cloth, 
cheap blanket cloth, felt hats, machines, paper, 
books, crockery, etc., etc. 

Machines and many of the clothing articles are 
imported from the United States. Very little comes 
from other countries, due to the great distance and 
the lack of proper roads. ‘This circumstance ac- 
counts for the shortage of many useful and perhaps 
necessary articles in the State. 

Banking.—At present there are no banking insti- 
tutions whatever in the State of Nayarit. 


NvueEvo LEON 


Since the State of Nuevo Leon is a center of pro- 
duction of various manufactured articles, and is ad- 
mirably situated to serve as a depository for and re- 
expedite the products of other States, it enjoys an 
active trade. 

Export.—Nuevo Leon exports a considerable 
quantity of “guayule’ (parthenium argentatum), 
1,900 tons; of “‘ixtle’’ (agave sp.), 3,000 tons, ex- 
clusive of the quantities of these fibers turned into 
diverse manufactured articles; of ‘“lechuguilla” 
(agave heterocantha), it exports 2,000 tons; also, 
certain quantities of onyx, white marble, coal, large 
quantities of beer, articles made of iron and steel, 
yarns and fabrics, mosaics, Portland cement, quarry 
stone, metals, soaps, alcohol, brown sugar, molasses, 
noodles, rum, cigarettes, etc. Furthermore, it ex- 
ports a number of articles made of fiber, such as 
ropes, sacks, etc., brooms, tanned hides and skins, 


The Republic of Mexico 285 


saddles, live stock, candles, mineral waters, espe- 
cially those of Topo Chico. 

Import.——The State imports machinery, hard- 
ware, fine crockery, glassware, high grade fabrics 
and cloth, fine silk, cotton and woolen goods, paper, 
shoes, hats, national and foreign groceries, and a 
good many other articles, such as drugs, etc. 

Banking.—As a natural result of its commercial 
activity the State of Nuevo Leon has a number of 
banking houses, among them: Banque Francaise du 
Mexique, A. Zambrano e Hijos, Sada Paz Hnos., 
Banco Nacional de Mexico, Banco de Nuevo Leon, 
Banco Mercantil de Monterrey, Comision Mone- 
taria, Adolfo Larralde, Guevara Hnos., Ramon 
Elizondo, Guillermo Lopez, R. Martinez y Hno., 
Patricio Milmo & Hijos, Sucs.; all in the City of 
Monterrey. Rafael Leal, Concepcion Sepulveda in 
the town of Linares. Canuto Garza, Jr., Clemente 
Bortoni, in Lampazos. 


OAXACA 


Export.—The inhabitants of Oaxaca export the 
following articles: bullion which has been treated in 
its own smelting-works and of which the principal 
are: gold, silver, lead, copper, antimony and zinc; 
onyx, porphyry and marble, although not in very 
large quantities; ‘“‘chicle’’ (sapodilla-gum) on a 
small scale; coffee, 2,700 tons; cocoa, over 300 tons; 
vanilla, about ro tons; sarsaparilla, 30 tons; tobacco, 
rather more than 350 tons; sugar-cane, no less than 
200,000 tons; choice woods and timber for construc- 
tion; castor oil, about 200,000 liters; cotton-seed 
oil, 40,000 liters; cheese, 200 tons; a small quantity 
of rubber; small quantities of fruit; ‘“‘pita” (the 


280 The Republic of Mexico 


fiber is one of the most important products of 
Oaxaca, and is the species called in botany “ananas 
macrodontes,” of which a certain quantity is manu- 
factured in the State into cord, sacking, rope, or 
cable, string, etc., and a large quantity is shipped 
in a raw state). Oaxaca also exports high grade 
palm-leaf hats, these constituting one of the most 
widespread industries in the State. Rice is produced 
in relatively small quantities; about 600 tons of it 
is shipped. Other export articles are: soaps, glycer- 
ine, cochineal, which produces a coloring material 
and lives in the cochineal fig-tree (of the “opuntia” 
species) growing in this section; tan-barks, indigo, 
dyewoods, etc. All these products go partly to the 
domestic market and the remainder are shipped 
abroad. 

Import—-The State has to import large quanti- 
ties of cloth, cashmeres, cotton goods, fine shoe- 
ware, hardware, dry-goods, silk goods, high grade 
furniture, glassware, machinery of all kinds, books, 
paper, etc., most of which come from the interior 
of the country and some from abroad, especially dry- 
goods and hardware, which come from Germany, 
cashmeres from England and France, and machinery 
almost exclusively from the United States. 

Banking.—The principal banking houses, which 
carry on all kinds of banking business, are a branch 
of the Banco Nacional de Mexico and the firm of 
Manuel Sodi; they cover the whole of the State. 


PUEBLA 


Export—The export trade of this State is very 
active; it is carried on especially with the City of 
Mexico and the town of Pachuca, and partly with 


The Republic of Mexico 287 


foreign countries by the way of Veracruz. Not less 
than 1,200 tons of rice are exported; somewhat 
more than 200,000 tons of sugar-cane leave the 
State, 1,000 tons of coffee, 80,000 tons of corn, 
5,000 tons of beans, 300 tons of tobacco, 9,100 tons 
of Irish potatoes. It can be calculated that about 
half of the fruit produced is sold at the various 
markets of the Republic; the same is true of two- 
thirds of the timber taken out of the forests of the 
State. Live stock, untanned hides and skins, tan- 
barks, medicinal plants, coal, cashmeres, cloth, 
blanket cloth, common fabrics, shawls, hats, “‘ixtle,”’ 
cordage, etc., are also exported from the State of 
Puebla. 

We must make special mention of the magnificent 
marbles and onyx which the State exports either in 
blocks or in the form of finished articles artistically 
worked. 

Import.—The State imports mostly manufactured 
articles, such as fine qualities of cloth and cashmeres, 
from England and France; fine crockery, machinery 
and other articles that are not produced or manu- 
factured in the State itself. 

Banking.—The following firms do banking busi- 
ness in the State of Puebla: Banco Oriental de Mex- 
ico, Banco Espanol Refaccionario, Compania Com- 


ercial, S. A., Martinez Pando & Co., Miguel Abad. 


QUERETARO 


Export.—Queretaro ships to other markets, out- 
side of the State, a considerable portion of its 
products, in the following mean annual quantities: 
8,000 tons of flour, 35,000 tons of corn, 2,000 
tons of beans, 800 tons of sweet potatoes, and con- 


288 The Republic of Mexico 


siderable quantities of different kinds of fruit. 
Most of these goods go to the interior of the 
Republic. 

The export trade could be greatly increased by 
enlarging every form of production for which the 
State offers all the necessary conditions. 

Import.—The import trade of the State com- 
prises fine grades of furniture, agricultural and other 
kinds of machinery, petroleum, groceries, wines, 
beers and liquors, cigars, wax matches, paper, books, 
glass, fine and ordinary crockery, shoes, cheap 
blanket cloth, woolen blankets, cheap fabrics, etc., 
etc. 

These articles are mostly gotten from the national 
markets, but others, such as machinery and tools of 
different kinds are imported from the United States. 

Banking.—The following firms do banking busi- 
ness in the City of Queretaro: Banco Nacional de 
Mexico, Banque Francaise du Mexique, Ambrosio 
Sanchez e Hijos, and the Comision Monetaria. 


QUINTANA Roo 


The trading of the Quintana Roo Territory is 
done mostly with the British Colony of Belize, Brit- 
ish Honduras, and some of it with the adjoining 
State of Yucatan. Coconuts, sapodilla-gum and 
timber are exported to Belize, and from there partly 
to the United States and partly to Europe. 

Some of the articles imported into the Territory 
come from the State of Yucatan, but most of them 
from British Honduras. The Territory as well as 
the Island of Cozumel import some groceries, tools, 
shoes, ordinary clothing, hats and cotton goods, 
tobacco, liquors and stationery. 


The Republic of Mexico 289 


The Indians of the Territory travel quite a dis- 
tance to do their trading. 


SAN Luis Poros! 


The trade of the State of San Luis Potosi is one 
of the most important in the whole country. As 
home production is ample in many departments of 
industry as well as in agriculture for the supply of 
domestic requirements, the State has a large quantity 
of surplus products which it exports to various 
markets. 

Export.—First of all San Luis Potosi exports the 
product of the sugar-cane, brown sugar and refined 
sugar, the principal market for these being Tampico, 
Aguascalientes and various towns in the center of 
the country, among them the Capital of the Re- 
public. It exports to these same markets coffee 
(the “caracolillo” and the ‘“huasteco’’ kinds) ; 
prickly-pear, ‘‘cheese’’ or paste which reaches sey- 
eral thousand tons, the State being the principal 
producer of the “tuna Cardona’ (a cactus; bot. 
‘“nopal’’) which is the plant from which the paste is 
made; it exports also fruits in various quantities; 
corn, something over 800,000 hectoliters; timber; 
robes, for which the State possesses the best fac- 
tory in the Republic; “‘rebozos”’ (a kind of shawl), 
especially those made of very fine silk, which are 
chiefly sent to the Capital of the Republic and the 
previously mentioned markets of Tampico, Aguas- 
calientes, Monterrey, Saltillo and other towns; ar- 
ticles made of ‘“‘ixtle’” fiber, such as sacks or bags, 
carpets, blankets, mats, etc.; high grade furniture, 
some of which is ultimately sold in the City of Mex- 
ico as imported furniture from abroad, though really 


290 The Republic of Mexico 


coming from San Luis workshops, which have no 
rival throughout the Republic; haricot beans, to the 
amount of 30,000 hectoliters; cattle for the meat 
market, especially to Aambiee and towns in the 
United States. 

The export trade is very important, but it could 
be very much more so if the various industries in 
the State were enlarged, industries which today are 
short of capital and workers, and especially suffer 
from a lack of initiative. It is necessary that in the 
Huasteca region more attention be paid to the grow- 
ing of cotton for the factories and that in the central 
valleys the people should devote their efforts to the 
silkworm industry. There is also the need of com- 
panies to erect electric plants for the supply of cheap 
electric power to the factories. 

The export trade is awaiting therefore the arrival 
of business men who are farsighted enough to do 
business on a large scale. In this connection we may 
state that the rope-making industry may be increased 
and its products exported in much larger quantities 
by the establishment of new factories, especially in 
the towns of the north and the west of the State. 
Fruit, if there were railways enough, would have a 
considerable export market, either fresh or in canned 
or otherwise preserved form. Each of the indus- 
tries of the State of San Luis Potosi is capable of 
contributing to its export trade. 

The exportation of the products we have named 
is generally done by the producers themselves, as 
for instance “ixtle’ (7,000 tons), ‘‘guayule,” a 
rubber-yielding shrub (800 tons per annum). 

Import—The import trade comprises machin- 
ery, agricultural implements, dry-goods, notions, 
perfumery, drugs, hardware, and numerous other 


The Republic of Mexico 291 


articles imported mostly from the United States, 
Germany, England and France. 

Banking.—San Luis is a commercial center which 
does business on very liberal terms, and for this 
reason there are branches here of the Banque Fran- 
caise du Mexique, Zembrano & Hijo, La Monetaria, 
and other institutions which do an exchange and dis- 
count business, and even a loan business in some 
cases. They draw upon banks in Mexico City, in 
Tampico, and other towns in the Republic, and also 
on banks abroad. 


SINALOA 


As a consequence of general activities in this 
State, commerce is well developed, being represented 
by a number of firms which engage in the export as 
well as in the import trade. 

Export.—Sinaloa exports sugar, “orchilla” (roc- 
cella tinctoria), soaps, tanned and untanned hides 
and skins, corn, chickpeas, cotton, some cocoa, 
coffee, fruits, timber, cheeses, butter, alligator hides, 
goods manufactured from all kinds of skins, articles 
made of “‘ixtle,” ‘“‘guapilla” fiber (agave falcata), 
sugar-cane, brown sugar, palm hats, etc.; also metals 
in the form of bullion, which are sent to the City of 
Mexico. Most of the articles named are sent to the 
interior of the Republic, but some go to the United 
States. 

Import.—Sinaloa imports agricultural machinery 
and implements and machinery for other purposes, 
crockery, glassware, high grade furniture, cloth, 
cashmeres, glass, paper, books, stationery, and a 
good many other articles. Most of the import trade 
is done with other parts of Mexico and with the 
United States. 


292 The Republic of Mexico 


Banking.—The following are the banking insti- 
tutions that do business in this State: La Comision 
Monetaria, Casa de Cambios y Comisiones la In- 
ternacional, Castello & Hijo, in the port of Mazat- 
lan, but doing business all over the State. 


SONORA 


The State of Sonora carries on a very active 
trade. 

Export.—Sonora exports very large quantities 
of chickpeas and other agricultural products, a good 
quantity of fruit, timber, especially brazil-wood, 
alder, ‘“‘ahuehuete,” ‘‘aguacatillo,” sapota and a few 
other kinds; meats, hides and skins, tanned and un- 
tanned, “‘cascalote”’ (not less than 300 tons a year) ; 
cheeses (600 tons), butter (5,600 tons), etc. 

Sonora, furthermore, exports large quantities of 
metals in the form of bullion, marble, onyx, jasper, 
graphite, rock salt and other products. 

Import.—The State imports manufactured goods 
of different kinds, such as shoes, clothing, cashmeres, 
fine cotton, woolen and silk goods, hats, crockery, 
national and foreign groceries, wines, liquors, 
noodles, preserved meats, machinery of different 
kinds and for different uses, tools, furniture, auto- 
mobiles, tractors, trucks, books, paper, stationery, 
etc., etc. 

Banking.—The firms that do banking business in 
this State are the following: Sonora Bank & 
Trust Company, Compania Bancaria y Agricola 
de Sonora, Manuel I. Loaiza, Juan de Dios Castro, 
in the city of Hermosillo; the Sonora Bank & 
Trust Company (branch office) in the town of 
Nogales. 


The Republic of Mexico 293 
TTABASCO 


Export—The State exports principally cabinet 
woods, such as mahogany, palisander, walnut, etc., 
which for a long time past have had splendid mar- 
kets abroad. It exports fruit, especially the “roatan’”’ 
banana, known by that name and that of ‘Tabasco 
banana,” very nutritious and of a splendid flavor; 
furthermore, cherimoyers, peaches, guavas, coconuts, 
and many other kinds of fruits are exported in the 
quantities mentioned under the heading of Agricul- 
tural Products, though it must be remarked that 
these figures do not in the least represent the real 
production or even an infinitesimal part of it. The 
figures we have given in the chapters on Agriculture 
and Forests must be taken solely as referring to 
what goes out of the State, that is to say, its ex- 
ports. 

Import.—The State imports a large quantity of 
manufactured products: machinery of all kinds, ag- 
ricultural implements, cloth, cashmeres, glassware, 
cutlery, boots and shoes of Mexican and foreign 
manufacture; rugs, blankets, books, paper, etc., etc. 
Although it could be self-supplying in many articles 
which could be manufactured, under favorable con- 
ditions, locally, the State is dependent upon foreign 
markets for many articles of daily use. 

Banking.—There are no banking concerns at 
present in the State which are worth mentioning, 
banking being one of the fields of activities which 
should be given more attention, as it is of urgent 
necessity. The business houses themselves act as 
correspondents and execute financial transactions 
for their correspondents, though such operations are 
not numerous. 


204 The Republic of Mexico 
‘TAMAULIPAS 


Export.—The export trade of this State consists 
in the main of oil or petroleum, constituting at least 
one-fourth of all the petroleum exported from the 
Republic of Mexico; it exports also “‘ixtle’’ fiber, 
articles made of this fiber, leather goods, riding 
saddles, lard, live stock, especially cattle, tanned 
and untanned hides, timber, especially ebony, ma- 
hogany, and other fine woods for the cabinet-making 
industry, sugar-cane, brown sugar, etc. 

Most of the crude oil is exported to foreign 
countries, part of it is used as fuel by the Mexican 
railroads and another portion of this’ production is 
consumed by certain industrial plants; some of the 
gasoline stays in the country, but most of it goes 
abroad; live stock goes to Cuba and some of it to 
other sections of the country; the lard is shipped to 
different national markets. 

Import.—The import trade is very active and 
comprises all the machinery and implements used in 
the oil fields, packing material for the shipping of 
oil and the different by-products of it, agricultural 
machinery, machines of many kinds, diverse cloth 
fabrics, crockery, wearing apparel, and a number of 
other articles, such as hardware, glassware, ‘notions, 
groceries, etc. 

The import trade is mostly supplied by the United 
States, and in some cases by other foreign countries 
and Mexico itself. 

Banking.—Since commerce is very active and ex- 
tensive in this State, there are several banking insti- 
tutions that do extensive business. Such firms are: 
Benito Palacios, Carlos Noe Cazares, B. Zorilla 
Sucres, in Ciudad Victoria; Sada Paz Hnos., in 


The Republic of Mexico 20905 


Nuevo Laredo; The Tampico Banking Co., S. A., 
The Petroleum Banking and Trust Co., Heynen & 
Eversbusch, Compania de Bienes Raices, S. A., Brito 
& Hnos., Banco Nacional de Mexico, in Tampico, 
which is the most important place in the State. 
There is probably more room in this State for sim- 
ilar institutions. 


TLAXCALA 


Export——Tlaxcala exports a large part of its 
products. Of the 125,000 tons of ‘“‘pulque” pro- 
duced here, 100,000 tons are shipped to Pachuca 
and Mexico, Federal District. It exports nearly 
15,000 tons of corn, 5,400 tons of potatoes, 560 
tons of chickling vetch, 23,000 tons of barley, 1,800 
tons of beans, 800 tons of rye, 4,000 tons of sacred 
fir, 4,000 tons of pine, 2,000 tons of ‘“‘ahuehuete,”’ 
1,000 tons of “‘aile,’”’ 130,000 tons of evergreen 
oak, 167,000 tons of torchpine. It exports a large 
quantity of the articles produced by the large fac- 
tories within its boundaries, and more than 1,500 
tons of the root of the “‘zacaton”’ plant (epicampes 
macroura) which is much used for the manufacture 
‘of coarse brooms for floor-sweeping in particular. 
From Apizaco, also a certain quantity of basket 
ware made of twigs of willow or osier (phylopsis: 
saligna) and of river tamarisk (salix taxifolia) is 
shipped. From these plants the inhabitants obtain 
a very fine slip, which is very flexible when green, and 
from which they make hand baskets and work 
baskets, work tables, etc. Large quantities of flex- 
ible canes are made here for sale in various markets 
as walking canes. 

All such articles might be exported in far larger 
quantities, as there is a demand for them; to do 


290 The Republic of Mextco 


this, however, it would be necessary to give better 
attention to agriculture. 

Import.—Tlaxcala, in its turn, imports an infinite 
number of manufactured products, such as furniture, 
glassware, wearing apparel, machinery, etc., etc. 
These all come into the State from the City of 
Mexico, although, as is the case in some instances, 
the articles originally come from abroad. 

Banking.—Banking operations are only carried 
on in the town of Apizaco; the firm of Claudio 
Herrera Ruiz represents the Banque Francaise du 
Mexique. 


VERACRUZ 


Export.—Veracruz exports large quantities of its 
products to foreign countries. The article of great- 
est demand abroad is, of course, petroleum, coming 
from the different oil fields, which leaves the port of 
Tuxpan and other shipping places reached by the 
oleoducts, such as Agua Dulce, Tamiahua, Mata 
Redonda, Puerto Lobos and others. Veracruz 
ships at least two-thirds of all the oil exported from 
Mexico. On the average from 180,000,000 to 
200,000,000 barrels of this product are exported 
every year. 

The State of Veracruz, furthermore, exports 
some 20,000 tons of sugar, more than 450,000 tons 
of sugar-cane, some 18,000 tons of “panocha” or 
brown sugar, more than 24,000 tons of molasses 
(of which it makes about 35,000 tons), 2,300 tons 
of coffee, 30,000 tons of rum, 7,000 tons of tobacco, 
200 tons of vanilla, large quantities of fruit, espe- 
cially bananas, of which it exports more than 11,000 
tons; precious timber, metals, live stock, especially 
to Havana, cotton goods, cashmeres, articles made 


The Republic of Mexico 20907 


of jute, large quantities of beer, made in the City 
of Orizaba which has the largest brewery in the 
country; many species of fish, shrimps, etc. 

The export trade in this State is fairly high; the 
necessary elements to develop it are there; especially 
do the transportation facilities, at reasonably low 
prices to the port of Veracruz, contribute a great 
deal towards an eventual increase of this trade which 
will come as soon as there is a further development 
of the many industries established in the State. The 
exportation of timber could easily be increased by 
utilizing to a larger extent the various rivers for the 
haulage of the lumber. This has not been done thus 
tar! 

The oil and the timber go to foreign markets, as 
does also a considerable portion of the fruit; the 
tobacco, sugar-cane, sugar, rum, brown sugar, mo- 
lasses, cashmeres, beer, fabrics and the other ar- 
ticles, except most of the cattle, which is shipped to 
Havana, go to different markets in the interior of 
the Republic. 

Import.—The State of Veracruz imports little in 
comparison with what it exports; it brings in large 
quantities of books, paper and stationery, high grade 
furniture, fine silks, French and English cashmeres, 
all kinds of machinery, especially such as is used in 
the oil industry, considerable quantities of agricul- 
tural implements. Some of this class of merchan- 
dise comes from Germany, but most of it from the 
United States. Other articles included in the import 
trade are: hardware, notions, cutlery, crockery, 
wearing apparel and a number of other articles. 
The paper that is brought in comes from the paper 
mills of the Federal District; the school books are 
furnished by the publishing firms of Mexico City; 


298 The Republic of Mexico 


the jute utilized in the factories of the State comes 
from Calcutta. Other articles come either from 
foreign countries or from different sections of the 
Republic of Mexico. 

Banking—The banking business is in the hands 
of the following firms: Manuel A. Marenco, in the 
City of Cordoba; Ricardo Gomez, Sucres., in the 
town of Gutierrez Zamora, Justo Fernandez, Ol- 
livier, Hnos. & Co., Sanchez Rebolledo Hnos., in 
the town of Jalapa; Juan C. Gutierrez, in Orizaba; 
Jose Gonzalez Toate, in Perrote; Ismael Pavon e 
Hijos, Manuel Candanedo, in the port of Puerto 
Mexico; Banco Germanico de la America del Sur, 
Banque Francaise du Mexique, Banco Nacional de 
Mexico, in Tuxpan; Julian & Sob, Banco Mercantil 
de Veracruz, Banco Nacional de Mexico, Banque 
Francaise du Mexique, Comision Monetaria, Eu- 
lalio Roman, Viya Hnos., Sucres., Zaldo Hnos. & 
Co., in the port and City of Veracruz. 


YUCATAN 


Export—The principal and practically the only 
article exported from this State is the sisal fiber. 
The average yearly output for exportation is given 
in the chapter on Agriculture; nearly all goes to the 
United States, where it is used in the manufacture of 
twine. A more extensive cultivation and the ex- 
tension of the market of this fiber would be ex- 
tremely useful to all parties concerned, since the 
diversity of the markets would probably cause this 
class of fiber to be of use also in other industries, 
thus creating a larger demand for it. Other articles 
exported from the State are salt, sold to other 
States of the Republic, and some rubber, “‘chicle” 


The Republic of Mexico 299 


or sapodilla-gum, and timber; these articles go to 
the American market. 

Import——tThe articles imported into the State 
comprise: sugar, rice, coffee, cocoa, oats, bran, soaps, 
beer and liquors, lard, drugs, wearing apparel, 
cloth, cashmeres, silks, furniture, notions, cutlery, 
crockery, hardware, machinery and tools of several 
kinds, musical instruments, books, paper, stationery, 
and a number of other articles. Beans and corn are 
also brought in from other parts of Mexico, when- 
ever these are not harvested in sufficient quantities 
in the State itself. 

Some of the articles named come from other parts 
of Mexico, a large amount of them from the United 
States, some machinery, electrical implements, toys 
and a few other articles from Germany, perfumes 
and drugs from France, cloth, cashmeres and other 
fabrics from England, and hats from Italy. 

Banking.—There are several banking institutions 
established in the Capital of the State; these are: Al- 
berto Montes, S. en C.; La Comision Compradora 
de Henequen, Arturo Pierce, Arturo Price, Banque 
Francaise du Mexique, La Monetaria. ‘The busi- 
ness transactions of these firms comprise those of 
banking institutions in general. 


ZACATECAS 


Export—The State of Zacatecas exports the 
silver, gold, copper, antimony, mercury, lead and 
zinc produced in its mines; these metals are taken 
in the form of concentrated ores to the foundries of 
Aguascalientes. 

The State, furthermore, exports large quantities 
of “zarapes” (blanket cloth), “rebozos,” a kind of 


300 The Republic of Mexico 


shawl, the by-products of the milk industry, live 
stock for the meat market, untanned hides, some 
corn which goes mostly to the State of Coahuila. 

The export trade of the State could easily be 
enlarged, especially in articles manufactured from 
sugar-cane, by increasing the production of cane and 
by adopting modern methods and machinery in the 
industry. 

Import.—The State has to import most of the 
things it needs, such as different kinds of machinery, 
agricultural implements, notions, hardware, cloth, 
cashmeres, mostly from Mexican factories and a 
very small proportion from abroad. Much ma- 
chinery is needed and imported for the mining in- 
dustry. It imports large quantities of dynamite 
from a concern that makes this article in the State 
of Durango. Zacatecas must also bring in from 
other parts of Mexico considerable quantities of 
corn, beans and other cereals, of which the State 
does not produce enough to supply the local demand. 

The export trade as well as the import trade will 
certainly increase as soon as the mining industry and 
the raising of live stock shall have recovered their 
former flourishing conditions. 

Banking.—There are scarcely any banking facili- 
ties in this State, as a rule some of the merchants 
established in the State act as representatives of 
banks in the City of Mexico. 


CHAPTER VI 
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES 


The industries of the natives which were very 
important before the Spanish Conquest, have lost 
much of their economic value, of course, as a con- 
sequence of the introduction of mechanical devices. 
Nevertheless, some of them are still quite extensive, 
as, for instance, pottery, mat-weaving, hat and 
basket-making from fibers, the saddle and leather 
industries, hand weavings, etc. The goods manu- 
factured in their primitive way by the Indians 
are often of excellent quality, adapted to the con- 
ditions of the country and of a pleasant and artistic 
appearance. ‘The Indians used to do wonders in 
ceramics. 

Although the Government of Mexico endeavors 
to promote the national industrial activities by means 
of protective tariffs and other special legislative 
measures, the development of factories along mod- 
ern lines and machinery has not progressed very 
much, with the exception of the mining industry and 
its allied branches. In this regard Mexico still 
offers a multitude of splendid chances for men of 
enterprise and sufficient capital. Industry is most 
developed in the regions of the Central Plateau, not 
to speak, of course, of the petroleum industry in the 
States of Tamaulipas and Veracruz. 

Certain raw products, such as different species of 
fiber, sugar-cane, etc., are prepared and made ready 


301 


302 The Republic of Mexico 


for the market in industrial establishments in various 
sections of the country. 

Industrial establishments of the greatest impor- 
tance for the entire country are undoubtedly those 
for the production and transmission of electrical 
energy, some of which are simply grandiose. They 
make the existence and further establishing of in- 
dustries possible, since coal has up to now not been 
greatly exploited and is still quite expensive. 

Weaving mills and spinneries occupy first place 
among the factories established in Mexico; they are 
mostly in the hands of Spaniards and Frenchmen. 
These factories are organized on entirely modern 
lines, equipped with the best kinds of machinery, 
mostly of English make, and manufacture all kinds 
of fabrics, especially cheap ones, such as percales, 
calico, muslins, coarse cotton cloth, etc. 

There has been no increase in the number of such 
mills for a number of years. 

The manufacture of woolen cloth was started 
during the world war. ‘The factories spin their own 
yarns and produce a very acceptable cloth. 

There are several foundries, machine factories 
and allied works in the country which were greatly 
developed during the last world war. Many ma- 
chines which in the past had to be imported are now 
manufactured in the country. 

Sawmills are being established in increasing num- 
bers, in order to exploit the timber wealth of the 
country, instead of buying lumber abroad at very 
high prices. 

There are many tanneries all over the country; 
the leather they produce is, on the whole, very good 
and durable. 


Quite a number of shoe factories produce, in 


The Republic of Mexico 303 


our opinion, excellent goods. Large quantities of 
shoes are imported, nevertheless, from the United 
States. 

The saddle-making industry (the trees as well 
as the leather and metal parts) and the leather 
industry are highly developed. ‘The making of 
Mexican saddle-trees is an industry by itself. 

The hat-making industry makes especially the 
gaudy large type of hat, generally known under the 
name of Mexican hat or ‘“‘charro”’ hat. 

The cigar and cigarette-making industry comprises 
a large number of factories, some of them very 
large, indeed; all told there are about 450 such fac- 
tories in the country, using about 9,000,000 kilos of 
tobacco. 

Four large and a small number of less important 

breweries make on the average every year some 
500,000 hectoliters of beer. 
_ The sugar industry may be called flourishing; 
sugar mills are scattered all over the country. In 
most cases rum distilleries are combined with the 
sugar mills. 

There are not many ue mills in the 
country, probably because the production of oil- 
_yielding fruits and seeds is not sufficiently developed. 

There are a number of paper mills established in 
Mexico which, using raw material from the Mexican 
territory to the extent of over 80 per cent of the 
total employed, produce over 90 per cent of the dif- 
ferent kinds and grades of paper consumed in the 
country. 

A number of industries established in most of the 
towns of the Republic are small in size and in 
importance for the time being, but pointing in 
many instances the way to a better utilization of 


304 The Republic of Mexico 


existing raw materials and a more modern develop- 
ment of new industrial undertakings along scientific 
lines. 

In the following pages more details are given con- 
cerning industrial activities in the various States, 
and the opportunities they offer for the investment 
of capital. 


AGUASCALIENTES 


There is quite a large number of industrial under- 
takings in this State, among them some II spinning 
and weaving mills making cotton goods, 6 cigarette 
factories, I producing starch, 18 manufacturing 
earthenware, 2 match factories, 6 brickyards, 3 
noodle factories, 50 flour mills, 1 furniture factory, 
and 2 mineral water works. In the City of Aguas- 
calientes are located the best and most important 
machine shops of the Mexican National Railroads, 
in which not only the rolling stock and the loco- 
motives are repaired, but also railroad cars, in no 
respect inferior to those imported from abroad, are 
made. Aguascalientes has also a large foundry 
which gives employment to about 2,000 people; the 
railway workshops employ more than 4,000 per- 
sons. In all the other factories established in the 
State are employed about 7,000 persons. 

The spinning and weaving mills utilize the cotton 
from the Laguna section, and manufacture cheap 
cashmeres, cambrics, shawls, cheap blanket cloth, 
cloth, coarse white and colored cotton cloth. Many 
women are employed in the making of fine needle- 
work and embroidery, highly esteemed by the public; 
these goods are always offered to the passengers on 
the trains at the railroad station of Aguascalientes 
and represent in many instances real art work. Most 


The Republic of Mexico 305 


of the flour turned out by the mills of Aguascalientes 
is exported to other parts of the country; the wheat 
comes from the fields of this State. 

Most of the manufactured goods are for the local 
market. 

All the industries existing in the State could and 
should be enlarged, for there is a good market for 
the products in the State itself and in the southern 
section of the State of Zacatecas, parts of Jalisco 
and other places, an abundance of raw material 
nearby and good transportation facilities. 

Electric power is used for operating the factories; 
it is generated in another State and furnished by the 
Street Car Company of the City of Aguascalientes. 

The State produces plenty of barley, grapes and a 
good grade of tobacco; therefore the establishment 
of a beer brewery, and the making of wine and cigars 
could count upon good financial results. Then 
there is room for a good tannery for hides and 
skins, and for the establishment of shoe factories. 
Furthermore, there is probably a good field for 
foundry works. ‘The foundry in Tepezala might 
be enlarged. 


BajyA CALIFORNIA 


There is scarcely any industrial activity in the 
Territory of Baja California. The people turn out 
small quantities of sugar and rum. Consequently 
the Territory is an untouched field for any kind of 
industry for which there is an abundance of raw 
material. Of course, in attempting to establish an 
industry a number of things have to be considered, 
but at any rate we think that persons with means, 
intelligence and energy should find it worth while to 
further investigate the matter. 


300 The Republic of Mexico 
CAMPECHE 


Every plantation cultivating the sisal hemp is at 
the same time a fiber-extracting factory, so that 
there are as many factories of this kind as there are 
plantations. The Capital of the State has a few 
small factories that turn the sisal fiber into robes, 
cords, sacking and a few other articles which are 
exported to different parts of the Republic. There 
are also a few factories making soap, candles and 
noodles. Campeche, the Capital of the State, has 
an ice factory and an electric light and power plant. 

Charcoal is the fuel used by all these factories, 
being the cheapest that can be had. The utilization 
of tortoise-shell in the manufacture of a number of 
beautiful articles is an industry peculiar to this State. 
Combs, ear-rings, finger rings, fan-chains, jewel 
boxes, walking canes and a number of other articles 
are made from this material. ‘This interesting in- 
dustry could be considerably enlarged, more capital 
and energy being necessary. Any quantity of the 
needed raw material is near at hand. Fine straw 
hats are made from the fiber of a special palm-tree 
that grows abundantly in the section of the little 
town of Becar; these hats compare very favorably 
with the best panama hats and cost less. Although 
all the people of this town know how to make such 
hats, the regular output is not large enough to do 
an export business of any importance with the 
United States, for instance. In this case again, more 
capital and energy or spirit of enterprise are needed, 
to attain profitable results. 

The bay of Campeche being extremely rich in 
algological flora, it has been noted for its abun- 
dance and great variety of fish, all of exquisite taste. — 


The Republic of Mexico 307 


The establishment of a regular plant for preserv- 
ing and salting fish would certainly yield the best 
financial results; even now the quantity of fish ex- 
ported to the State of Yucatan is considerable. Cap- 
ital, however, is needed to turn the fisheries of 
Campeche into a profitable business. 


CHIAPAS 


Chiapas is not much of an industrial State, al- 
though it has exceptional facilities for being so. 
There are the following factories, none of them of 
great importance: a few cigar and cigarette fac- 
tories, a foundry, and mechanical workshops, some 
mineral water works, candle factories, brick works, 
alcohol distilleries, several small concerns making 
hats of palm leaf, molasses, sugar, rum, or cordage. 

Very little of these products leave the State, owing 
to the small quantity made and lack of necessary 
machinery. 

Although we have repeatedly mentioned it, we 
cannot refrain from insisting once more upon the 
fact that Chiapas has unexcelled facilities for be- 
coming an industrial center of the first order, since 
it enjoys such exceptional natural advantages. 

None of the manufactured products leave the 
State; they are not even sufficient to supply the needs 
of the people. 

The number of persons employed in the different 
industries is really insignificant. 

No use whatever is made of the power which 
could be utilized from its rivers which flow into the 
Pacific. Although the existing waterfalls are of no 
great size, they would be sufficient to produce elec- 
tric power for electric light, tramways and factories; 


308 The Republic of Mexico 


such power could even be furnished to all the towns 
of the State and to those of Tabasco, Campeche and 
Yucatan, if points were chosen on the Guatemala 
side, where the mountains of the sierras of Chiapas 
are highest and have some considerable falls. 

The industries now existing in the State could be 
enlarged and new ones established. The results 
would be immediate and magnificent. Capital and 
workers are all that is needed. The raw material is 
going to waste. For cotton spinning and weaving 
mills plenty of raw material is found throughout. the 
State and particularly in the region of Simojovel, 
where the “‘pochote”’ or cotton-tree forms immense 
forests. Sisal hemp could be used in textile fac- 
tories; the “‘guasima”’ plant would supply the mate- 
rial for rope works and other factories. The manu- 
facturers of preserved and candied fruits would find 
an unlimited field for their activity. 


CHIHUAHUA 


Little industrial activity is found in the State of 
Chihuahua; it comprises some spinneries and weav- 
ing mills, mineral water works, soap works, flour 
mills, candy and chocolate factories, a few sugar 
mills, a number of very small concerns making 
saddles and saddle-trees, cheap blanket cloth, tan- 
neries, potteries and a beer brewery. 

The spinneries and weaving mills are rather im- 
portant; they produce mostly cheap cotton goods 
and employ about 600 persons. 

The existing industries are far from utilizing all 
the raw material produced in the State; most of this 
is exported to other sections of the country. 

The spinneries, weaving mills, brewery and some 


The Republic of Mexico 309 


of the mineral water works use the electric power 
produced at the large basin of the Conchos river, 
the other industries are operated either with hy- 
draulic power, as the sugar mills and the flour mills, 
or with animal power. 

The number of workmen employed in all the in- 
dustries of the State is about 3,000. 

The following industries could be developed or 
introduced: enterprises that would exploit the dif- 
ferent kinds of fiber growing in the State for the 
making of cordage and similar products; in the 
sierras and in the plains there is an abundance of 
“lechuguilla”’ (agave heteracantha), maguey (agave 
sp.) and the ‘‘zapupe” (agave derveyana) which 
could be easily cultivated in the irrigated deep val- 
leys; furthermore, good tanneries and various 
leather industries could be established; soap works, 
since there is in the fields of Chihuahua an abun- 
dance of “‘chicalote’’ (argemone mexicana) and the 
“cadillo” (xanthium canadense); the ‘‘candelilla” 
(euphorbia antisyphilitica) should be utilized for 
the production of wax; palm hats can be manufac- 
tured from the various species of palm-tree leaves 
abundant in the State. 


COAHUILA 


There are few factories in this State: several 
spinning and weaving mills, one large and two small 
foundries, soap works and oil mills, flour mills and 
wine-making concerns. 

The large foundry is located in Torreon and the 
other two in Saltillo, being branch plants of the large 
iron and steel works of Monterrey. 

The spinning and weaving mills manufacture 


310 The Republic of Mexico 


woolen and cotton goods; the raw materials they 
use are products of the State itself. The soap works 
and oil mills utilize the cotton seed. The bran-like 
residue of the cotton seed is turned into cakes called 
in the country ‘“‘cascarilla’” and is fed to the live 
stock, especially the cattle. The flour is made from 
the wheat produced in the State. 

The markets for the products manufactured are, 
first, the State itself; part of the flour goes to the 
cities of Monterrey and Tampico, the vegetable oils 
and the soaps to different parts of the Republic. 
The wines and cognacs produced in Parral and 
Cuatro Cienegas are sold in the country and even 
abroad; they are considered as being of very good 
quality. : 

Some of the industries named use electric power 
which is very expensive in the State due to the system 
of generating it; other industries use hydraulic 
power. 

About 6,000 workmen are engaged in the dif- 
ferent industries operating in the State, that is: 4 
foundries, 44 distilleries, 20 sugar mills, 3 ice 
plants, 55 flour mills, 23 spinning and weaving mills, 
2 soap works, 5 noodle factories and a few other 
concerns. 

Industries that could be introduced and developed 
in the State are: factories for the manufacturing of 
rubber articles, such as tires, etc., utilizing the 
‘‘guayule,” a rubber-yielding shrub which abounds in 
the State; wax factories, exploiting the wax-contain- 
ing plant, known under the name of ‘“‘candelilla”’ 
(euphorbia antisyphilitica) ; and powder factories, 
since there is in the State an abundance of a plant 
called “gobernadora”’ (larrea mexicana) which con- 
tains explosive substances. 


The Republic of Mexico RII 
COLIMA 


Most of the few factories that exist in the State 
are located in the town of Colima. ‘There are two 
spinning and weaving mills which turn out low grade 
products, several mineral water works, starch works, 
sugar mills, wax match factories, cigar and cigarette 
factories, soap works, brick works, noodle and candle 
factories. The making of palm-leaf hats is engaged 
in by a number of persons as a side-line, in addition 
to their ordinary occupations, as is also the case 
with this same industry in the States of Oaxaca, 
Guerrero, Campeche and Chiapas. 

About 7,000 people are occupied in all these dif- 
ferent industries. 

The manufactured articles, with the exception of 
the products from the sugar mills which leave the 
State, are absorbed by the local market. 

The spinning and weaving mills utilize the elec- 
trical energy generated on the Armeria river. 

There is plenty of raw material in the State for 
the further development of such industries as are 
already functioning and for the establishment of 
new ones; fruit and fish preserving plants would do 
well; textile industries should be developed for the 
exploitation of several kinds of fiber, such as ‘‘ixtle.”’ 
Paper mills and breweries could also be established. 
As already stated, there is plenty of raw material 
near at hand and a ready market for the products, 
nor is there any difficulty in getting workmen. 


DISTRITO FEDERAL 


Many factories are actively working in the City 
of Mexico and in other places of the Federal Dis- 


p12 The Republic of Mexico 


trict, due to its facilities to dispose of all kinds of 
products. Some 250 factories are being operated 
within the small territory of the District; 25 of 
these are spinning and weaving mills, 23 cigarette 
factories, 8 manufacturing wax matches, 7 candle 
works, 20 candy factories, I9 tanneries, 8 flour 
mills) and a number of others making mineral 
waters, beer, mirrors, ice, vegetable oils, soaps, per- 
fumes, paints, steel wire, glass, pianos, noodles, 
paper, cement, furniture, chocolate, shoes, leather 
goods and other articles. 

About 23,000 hands, men, women and children, 
are occupied in these factories. 

The raw material consumed by these factories 
comes either from other sections of the Republic or 
to a small extent from the Federal District itself, 
as the raw silk for example. 

All the goods produced in these factories are sold 
in Mexico’s own market. 

The motive power used by the majority of fac- 
tories is electricity generated by the “Compania 
Mexicana de Luz y Fuerza Motriz.” 

The Federal District offers many chances and ad- 
vantages for the establishment of other factories 
utilizing the many varieties of raw material pro- 
duced in the different regions of the Republic. 


DURANGO 


There are not many large factories in the State, 
these amounting to 72 in all, as follows: 20 rum 
distilleries, 3 mineral water works, one sugar mill, 
one stearine candle works, one wax match factory, 
6 cigarette factories, 20 spinning and weaving mills, 
one soap works, one furniture factory, one noodle 


The Republic of Mexico ala 


factory, one powder factory, one shoe factory, 14 
flour mills, one dynamite factory and a number of 
others. The dynamite factory not far from the 
town of Gomez Palacio manufactures dynamite and 
other explosives; it supplies dynamite to all the 
mines of the country and its products are much 
sought after on account of their excellent quality. 
The mills of the Brillante and various others of the 
Campania Harinera de Durange make flour of good 
quality, partly exported and partly consumed in the 
State. 

The thread and cloth factories make cotton blank- 
ets, cashmeres and bedspreads, almost all of me- 
dium grade, and use cotton from the Laguna region 
and wool from the large farming estates of Cuen- 
came, Nombre de Dios, San Juan del Rio, Durango, 
Canatlan, Nazas and Santiago Papasquiaro. ‘The 
State of Durango is the principal user of these 
products, also various towns in other States. 

All these towns would offer larger markets, if the 
raw material could be obtained at a lower price, for 
which it would be necessary to plant cotton on a 
larger scale and to give more attention to wool-pro- 
ducing stock. In most of the spinning and weaving 
mills hydraulic power is used, in others electric 
power which is very expensive. 

About 5,000 workpeople are employed in all the 
manufacturing establishments of the State. 

Various new industries could be established: the 
manufacture of cloth fabrics from the fiber of the 
“lechuguilla” (agave heteracantha) which is very 
plentiful and grows without cultivation; fruit pre- 
serving and canning would be a good business in 
this State, the extraction of vegetable wax from the 
“candelilla,” the juice of which contains this prod- 


3I4 The Republic of Mexico 


uct, the manufacture of India-rubber products, 
plants for the manufacture of powder and other 
explosives, as the “‘gobernadora”’ plant (larrea mex- 
icana) is plentiful in the State. Power plants, for 
the supply of electric energy should be established, 
especially on the Tunal river which could supply 
current and power to the City of Durango at a 
reasonable rate. 

All the existing industries, if engaged in by enter- 
prising men with sufficient capital, would have a big 
future. All new undertakings to further industrial 
development would bring real wealth to the State. 


GUANAJUATO 


This State leads all the other Mexican States in 
industrial undertakings. There are many factories. 
some of which are really efficient. Spinning and 
weaving mills for cotton and woolen goods, tan- 
neries, candy factories, shoe factories, concerns mak- 
ing hats, mats, rugs, baskets, etc., provide employ- 
ment to many of the inhabitants of this State. 

The weaving and spinning mills manufacture 
cashmeres, cotton cloth, cheap blanket cloth, woolen 
blankets, various other fabrics, table covers, shawls, 
etc., which are justly famed. 

The numerous spinning and weaving mills use 
raw material which is mostly obtained outside the 
State, especially the cotton. Part of the wool is 
produced in this State. 

The products of most of the factories established 
in the State are exported to different sections of the 
Republic. ‘There are, furthermore, a number of 
establishments making ‘‘cajetas’’ (boxes containing 
jellies), soda water works, one ice plant, several 


The Republic of Mexico 515 


cigarette factories, tanneries, candy and chocolate 
factories, candle works, mosaic works, sugar mills, 
liquor and wine factories, several concerns making 
paper boxes, wax matches, iron beds, flour mills, 
cigars and cigarettes, different kinds of noodles, 
neckties, saddle-trees, ice plants, shoemakers’ lasts, 
soap factories, brickyards, tanneries, shoe factories, 
‘‘tuna”’ cheese factories, cordage factories. 

All these factories use preferably the raw mate- 
rials produced in the State itself. The shoe factories 
get their material from the local tanneries, many of 
which have adopted modern methods. The saddle 
makers of the State, especially those of the City of 
Leon, produce very fine and costly articles. 

Some of the articles manufactured in this State 
are sold all over the Republic; they are produced at 
low cost and have therefore a great advantage over 
similar foreign-made articles. 

Almost all of these industries could be enlarged 
by the introduction of more modern methods and 
machinery. 

The large spinning and weaving mills, the shoe 
factories, the soda water works and some of the 
flour mills are operated by electricity, the power 
being furnished by the Central Mexico Light and 
Power Co. to the entire State; this electric power is 
produced in the State of Michoacan. 

About 12,000 workmen are employed in the large 
factories, while the total number of persons engaged 
in the numerous industrial works is not less than 
70,000. | 

Among the new industries that could be started 
in this State we mention the beer-brewing, for which 
there is already a large production of barley, which 
could easily be further increased by a more energetic 


310 The Republic of Mexico 


application on the part of the farmers; glass could 
be manufactured, since there is plenty of the needed 
raw material. The growing of the white-mulberry 
tree (morus latifolia) and the rearing of the silk- 
worm, for which the climate of this State is excel- 
lent, could be undertaken as well as the establish- 
ment of silk factories. Office furniture could also be 
manufactured in the State. There is, furthermore, 
plenty of room for more spinning and weaving mills; 
for this, of course, the farmers would have to be 
induced to plant and supply more cotton; but even 
under existing conditions new spinning and weaving 
mills would do well, since cotton and wool can be 
had not far from the industrial center of Gua- 
najuato which at the same time possesses the best 
means for the distribution of the manufactured 
goods. 


GUERRERO 


This State is greatly handicapped in its industry 
by the lack of means of transportation which makes 
the sending out of the manufactured goods as well 
as the raw material produced in this region a matter 
of great difhculty. ‘There are, nevertheless, a few 
spinning and weaving mills, some vegetable oil 
mills, soda water works, soap factories, liquor dis- 
tilleries, sugar mills which also turn out brown or 
unrefined sugar and cane rum. Many persons in the 
State are engaged in the making of palm hats, which 
is rather a home industry and conducted on a small 
scale, utilizing for the purpose the raw material of 
which there is plenty in this region. 

The products of the spinning and weaving mills 
are not sufficient to cover the local demand; the 


The Republic of Mexico 317 


other products, with the exception of sugar and 
molasses, are also consumed in the State. 

The factories in the port of Acapulco use electric 
power, and those in Chilapa are operated by hy- 
draulic power. 

The number of persons occupied in the different 
industries is about 2,000. 

The State produces large quantities of different 
raw materials which could be turned to account by 
establishing new industries, but, as already stated, 
the question of means of communication is a serious 
one and must be solved first in order to fully exploit 
the natural resources of the State. 


HIDALGO 


Industry is another field in which the State could 
turn to better advantage its splendid location with 
reference to the Capital. It has no large factories. 
It has about 203 rum distilleries, 4 starch factories, 
§ candle factories, a very important Portland cement 
plant, 19 spinning and weaving mills, 7 flour mills, 
and a few other concerns, such as ‘‘pulque’”’ ferment- 
ing plants. Ore-treating plants are located in Pa- 
chuca, Real del Monte, Zimapan and in other places. 

The weaving and spinning mills use cotton which 
almost all comes from the Lagoon district and very 
little from the Huasteca section belonging to the 
State of Hidalgo. A portion of the sheets, cloth, 
cashmere and other cloth fabrics which they make 
are used at home, and the balance is sent out to the 
City of Mexico, whence it goes to other towns of the 
country. The cement factory uses the raw material 
supplied by the soil of Hidalgo itself; the mills make 
flour from the wheat grown in the State, and the 


318 The Republic of Mexico 


manufactories of rum, candles, soaps, cigarettes, and 
matches, all use material derived from the interior 
of the State. Only a very small quantity of these 
manufactured products leave the State, as nearly 
all of them are consumed in the domestic market. 

The development of the market for the articles 
produced in Hidalgo depends upon larger produc- 
tion and upon additional capital to be invested by 
men interested in new industries, either similar to 
those existing or of a different nature. 

Although the Pachuca power plant, which is de- 
pendent upon that of Necaxa, furnishes power to 
some of the factories, not a few use water-power 
derived from the Tula and Moctezuma rivers. The 
factories in the State are in general so small that, 
all in all (there are about 800 factories), they 
employ 3,500 people. 

Among the industries that could be developed in 
the State we should mention: the spinning and weav- 
ing of the “‘ixtle’ fiber, as ixtle abounds in the State; 
the preserving of fruit, as very little use is at present 
made of the products from the Huasteca in this re- 
spect, owing to the lack of means of transportation; 
oil-pressing plants, for the utilization of numberless 
oil-producing plants, such as “chicalote’’ (argemone 
platyceras), peanuts, at present only used as a fruit, 
and others; soap factories, essential oil distilleries; 
perfume factories; tanneries, as there are many trees 
with bark suitable for tanning skins; shoe factories, 
and many others. They would all have a sure home 
market. 


JALIsco 


Although at present the industrial activities of 
this State rank among the first, they would still be 


The Republic of Mexico 310 


more numerous and important, if transportation 
facilities were better distributed over the different 
sections. The State has several weaving and spin- 
ning mills, making woolen, cotton and silk fabrics, 
rope-making factories, tanneries, ‘“‘tequila’ and 
other liquor distilleries, soda water works, soap 
works, oil mills, starch factories, brickyards, cart 
and carriage factories, machine shops, foundries, 
candy and chocolate factories, stearine candle fac- 
tories, noodle factories, fruit preserving plants, 
sugar mills, oil of turpentine mills, flour mills, fac- 
tories making shoes, saddles, leather goods, furni- 
ture, paper, glass, fine crockery, earthenware, mat- 
tresses, bed covers, ice, perfumes, cigars, cigarettes 
and wax matches, and flour mills. 

The cotton used by the mills in this State comes 
partly from Jalisco and partly from the States of 
Colima, Michoacan, Durango and Coahuila. The 
soap works obtain their oil and fats, etc., in the 
State; the maguey plant furnishes the material for 
the manufacturing of: the beverage known as “‘te- 
quila” (the preferred species of maguey is the 
“agave asperuna’’); the best ‘‘pulque” brandies are 
manufactured in the town of Tequila, whence the 
name of the special brand of pulque brandy. The 
potteries make use of the clay found in the State, 
the most famous being that of Tlaquepaque, a 
suburb of the City of Guadalajara. 

A considerable portion of the goods produced in 
the spinning and weaving mills is consumed in the 
State, the rest being exported to the States of Aguas- 
calientes, Zacatecas, Nayarit, Colima, Sinaloa and 
Michoacan, these being also the markets for the 
other manufactured articles. he crockeries and the 
‘‘tequilas” are in great demand all over the Republic. 


320 The Republic of Mexico 


All the goods manufactured in this State are in 
constant demand, so much so that it would be an 
easy matter to find a market for goods manufactured 
by new factories. 

Many of the factories utilize the electric power 
generated by the electric plant of Juanacatlan. 
Others make use of hydraulic power, and others use 
animal power. 

More than 12,000 people are employed in the dif- 
ferent factories, not counting the persons that work 
at home. 

There is no reason why the existing industries 
should not be increased, and since the State is a 
great source of raw materials of different kinds, a 
number of new industries, such as factories for the 
making of high grade furniture, glass, rubber goods, 
ebonite, etc., could be established. 


MEeExIco 


In the industrial field the State of Mexico profits 
much by its proximity to the City of Mexico and by 
its splendid means of transportation. The State of 
Mexico has, all in all, about 170 factories, which 
employ not less than 7,000 people. Among the in- 
dustrial establishments the following deserve men- 
tion: 25 spinning mills, one brewery, 27 sugar mills, 
15 liquor distilleries, 7 oil refineries, 5 cigarette 
factories, II soap factories, 2 paper mills, 39 flour 
mills, 7 wine distilleries, 3 glass factories, 19 brick- 
yards. 

All the factories mentioned have plenty to do; 
the spinning and weaving mills turn out cashmeres, 
cloth, cotton goods, shawls, braided and woolen 
blankets, kerchiefs, and different woolen goods, etc. 


The Republic of Mexico or 


One factory turns out jute products, employing more 
than 300 workmen; other concerns prepare canned 
meats. 

Almost all the goods manufactured in the State 
go to the City of Mexico, where they are either 
consumed or sent to other parts of the Republic. 
Various houses produce bast covers for the protec- 
tion of bottles; there is a great demand for this 
article, large quantities of which can be produced 
from the “tule” plant (two species: thipha angusti- 
folia and ascyrpus lacustris) which grows in abun- 
dance on the lakes of the State of Mexico. Baskets 
of good quality are likewise made from common 
reed grass (arundo donex) which grows abundantly 
on the lake shores of the State. 

All the important industrial establishments use 
electric power which they get from the power plant 
located in Necaxa. 

More enterprising people are needed to increase 
the manufacturing capacity of the State, and to take 
advantage of the large quantities of raw material 
that are there. ‘he State has industries which are 
insufficiently developed, being run on a primitive and 
inefhicient basis, as for example, the basket and the 
bast covers (for bottles) industries. The prox- 
imity of a sure market and the transportation facil- 
ities should also encourage the growth of industry 
in this State. 


MICHOACAN 


Although there are nearly 300 factories in the 
State, they are nearly all of but small importance, 
this being shown by the fact that, among them all, 
they give employment only to about 6,500 people. 

The total of the existing factories is distributed 


oe The Republic of Mexico 


as follows: spinning and weaving mills, 16; flour 
mills, 74; wheat mills, 85 (the other plants mill not 
only wheat but also other grains, while the last 
named mill nothing but wheat) ; rum distilleries, 34; 
oil mills, 4; cigarette factories, 45; starch mills, 1; 
beer breweries, 3; soap works, 33; brickyards, 21; 
potteries and various tanneries, 16. 

The spinning and weaving mills use cotton, wool, 
and flax which are produced within the State; the 
wheat comes from Michoacan farms; the cigarette 
factories use tobacco grown within the State; the 
factory known as the “‘empacadora de Carnes en 
Conserva”’ (the Meat Packing Co.), packs the meat 
derived from local herds; the sugar mills grind the 
cane of local plantations, similarly all the other in- 
dustries depend upon local products. ; 

The manufactured thread and cloth are mostly 
consumed in the State; sugar and flour are shipped 
to the Capital of the Republic and to other markets 
throughout the country. 

Water-power is generally used to operate the 
present factories and mills; in some few cases elec- 
tric power, derived from some waterfall is used. 

The industries that might be established are: silk 
spinning and weaving mills, if the white-mulberry 
tree were cultivated more extensively; cotton mills, 
by increasing the cultivation of cotton. Speaking 
generally, every kind of industry could be carried on 
in the State of Michoacan, and present manufac- 
tories developed. To do this it is necessary to solve 
the problem of transportation. 

We must also mention the oil-crushing industries 
and those connected with them, such as soap-making, 
which have a great future here, as the olive and 
sesame plant are abundant in the State, and also 


The Republic of Mexico was 


because cotton could be grown on a large scale, the 
seeds of the latter containing a large quantity of 
oil. The great advantage of these industries lies 
principally in the abundance and low cost of the raw 
material. 


MOoRELOS 


It is a pity that industrial activity should have 
attracted so little attention on the part of the in- 
habitants of this State, while in other parts of the 
Republic it is so energetically pursued. There is only 
one weaving mill making shawls, a large number of 
soda water works, due to the circumstance that a 
very hot temperature prevails all over the State; 
also two soap factories, one cordage factory, one 
‘brickyard and one liquor distillery. 

These data show that there is practically no in- 
dustrial activity in this State. This state of affairs 
is not justified, and different industries should be 
established, making use of the many raw materials 
produced in the State which are now exported, in- 
stead of being utilized in the form of manufactured 
goods, providing employment to a number of people 
and at the same time resulting much cheaper. 

At present scarcely 300 persons are occupied in- 
dustrially. 

Since there is an abundance of textile raw material 
in the State, several industries could be established 
on the basis of these materials; conditions are 
also favorable for paper mills, palm hat manufac- 
tories, etc. Furthermore, since large quantities of 
sugar-cane are sent out of the State, it should be 
more profitable to establish some kind of industry 
that would exploit such cane for the greater eco- 
nomic benefit of the State. 


324 The Republic of Mexico 
NAYARIT 


Industrial conditions in this State should be far 
better, in view of the abundance of raw material. 
The few weaving and spinning mills manufacture 
cheap blanket cloth, bed covers, cheap cotton goods, 
muslins, percales, and similar fabrics. But these 
factories produce little and low grade products at 
that, which are not even sufficient to meet the local — 
demand. There are also several soap works, oil 
mills, cigarette factories, soda water works, candy 
and chocolate factories, candle works, liquor distil- 
leries and sugar mills. ‘These factories use either 
hydraulic or animal motor power, not employing 
over 300 persons, not counting, of course, those en- 
gaged in the making of palm hats at their homes. 

These data clearly indicate that industry in the 
real sense of the word still remains to be estab- 
lished in this State. 

Rope-making and similar industries could be en- 
gaged in, since there is in the State an abundance of 
the proper kind of fibers, such as “‘guapilla” (agave 
falcata), “clavellina’”’ (pachira), ‘‘guasima’’ (gua- 
zuma polibotrya), ‘“guamara’”’ (bromelia pinguin), 
and another species of ‘“‘clavellina’’ (bombax pal- 
meri) which is excellent as a filling for pillows and 
mattresses; ‘‘majagua”’ (hibiscus tilicens) and ‘‘teco- 
maxochitl” (cachlospermum hibiscoides) could be 
used for the same purpose. There is also plenty of 
raw material for the oil-milling industry. 

Many other industries can be established in this 
State as soon as rapid communication is established 
between San Blas and Guadalajara, Mazatlan and 
Durango, and with the State of Zacatecas and the 
northern section of the Central Plateau. 


The Republic of Mexico 325 
Nuevo LEON 


In the industrial branch the State of Nuevo Leon 
bids fair to become a leader among other Mexican 
States. Many of its enterprises are really tremen- 
dous, as the iron and steel foundry of Monterrey for 
example, which is the largest of its kind in the 
country; it utilizes metal from all over Mexico and 
gives employment to more than 5,000 people; its 
products are excellent and consequently in great de- 
mand. The Cuauhtemoc beer brewery is another of 
the prosperous industries in the State, employing 
several hundred persons. “The two concerns just 
named utilize raw material which comes. from out- 
side of the State. The foundry gets its iron ore 
from the Mercado mountain in the State of Du- 
rango which is said to contain the largest iron ore 
deposits in the world; this ore is easily worked not 
only in the form of limonite and hematite which give 
about 60 per cent of metal, but also in the form of 
goethite and magnetite, which are of a high grade, 
although requiring a longer process. This foundry 
provides the Mexican railroads with rails and other 
material. The brewery uses raw material from dif- 
ferent sections of the country and from abroad. 

The other industries of the State comprise cart 
and carriage makers, ice plants, furniture factories, 
starch mills, cordage makers, flour and oil mills, 
mineral water works, paper box manufactures, iron 
bed factories, cigar and cigarette factories, plants 
for chemical products, candies and chewing gum 
factories, broom factories, soda biscuit factories, 
soda water works, flour mills, weaving and spinning 
mills, brickyards, furniture factories and noodle 
factories. The weaving and spinning mills make 


320 The Republic of Mexico 


percales, muslins, ginghams, bed sheeting, towel 
cloth, blankets, cotton cloth, shawls, and a great 
many similar goods. 

The articles manufactured in the State go mostly 
to the different Mexican markets and partly even 
to the bordering American region. 

Most of the large factories use electricity for 
motive power. The number of workmen passes 
40,000. 

The silk-weaving industry could be introduced as 
one of the new industries that would prosper in the 
State; for this purpose the production of the white- 
mulberry tree and of the “bombix mori” would be 
necessary. Flax should also be cultivated in suf- 
ficient quantities in order to run linen factories. 
Paper mills, glass and porcelain factories could 
easily be established in Nuevo Leon. 

General conditions in this State, especially with 
regard to geographical location and traffic facilities, 
make it especially suitable for the establishment of 
the various kinds of industries. 


OAXACA 


This is not a manufacturing State, although it 
might easily become one, at least to the point of 
meeting its own domestic requirements. Within its 
boundaries raw material is produced in very large 
quantities, such as “‘pochote’’ (cotton-tree), cotton, 
“ixtle” fiber, sisal hemp, etc., all of which could sup- 
port large spinning and weaving mills. All over the 
State the inhabitants make hats of palm leaves 
(brahea dulcis), from which they make also ham- 
mocks and other articles; the “pita’’ (ananas 
macrodontes) is among the most famous fibers 


The Republic of Mexico 927 


in the country and in Oaxaca it is principally 
used for making packthread for sewing leather 
goods and for embroidering riding saddles. 
There are several brick factories in the State, 
mineral water factories, breweries, liquor distil- 
leries, alcohol distilleries, flour mills, soap works 
in various parts, tanning yards, iron and copper 
smelting works, candle works, noodle factories and 
candy factories. This list shows how far behind 
the State of Oaxaca is in the matter of industrial 
establishments, being surpassed by many States 
which have to import all their raw material, or at 
least a large part of them, as is the case with the 
Federal District, the States of Puebla, Mexico and 
Guanajuato, etc. Oaxaca would have but to use 
its own products. The factories mentioned are 
distributed over several sections and towns of the 
State. 

No manufactured goods are, as a rule, exported 
from the State, except large quantities of hats and 
blankets which go to a number of markets in the 
interior of the country. 

Present manufacturing industries in their various 
branches, as well as a number of new ones, could be 
undertaken upon a very large scale in the certainty 
that all their products would find a ready market in 
the State and outside of it. 

The factories now working do not use much 
mechanical motive power. The looms for making 
blankets are old-fashioned and hand-operated. In 
hats, each one has its own special pattern of weav- 
ing. The hat-making industry is not a steady one, as 
people devote to it only their spare time or the days 
when they are not compelled to work at other occu- 
pations. The same thing may be said of the blank- 


328 The Republic of Mexico 


ets, as they only make.them at certain times. There 
are very few weavers who work continuously. The 
tanning industry is one of the specialties of the State 
and should be encouraged, while scientific methods 
such as are used abroad should be adopted, and in 
this way Oaxaca’s output would soon rival the best 
grades of leather products, since it has all the neces- 
sary natural resources. 

The manufacturing industries which might be es- 
tablished and would be welcomed by the inhabitants 
of Oaxaca are: spinning and weaving mills for the 
utilization of the products of the different fiber- 
producing plants; oil-crushing mills for making 
castor oil, an industry which at present is only in its 
infancy; olive oil, sesame-seed oil “azafrancillo” oil 
(from the “‘carthamus tinctorius), etc., there being 
immense quantities of raw materials which up to the 
present have not been utilized; factories for the 
manufacture of hats from the “palma jipi’”’ (car- 
ludovica palmata), turning to account the natural 
aptitude which the inhabitants of the State have for 
this industry, etc. 

The manufacture of paper, glass products and 
earthenware could be carried on extensively, by 
which means this State could be made commercially 
independent of the others, and at the same time as- 
sume an important place in industry, for which it is 
naturally well fitted. 

Present industries could be encouraged and de- 
veloped, there being some, such as the manufacture 
of glycerine, which has already been started very 
successfully in Oaxaca, where there is also a small 
factory for cotton thread and cloth. Means of 
transportation and enterprising men are very much 
wanted at present. 


The Republic of Mexico 329 
PUEBLA 


Puebla ranks fourth among the Mexican indus- 
trial States and has a great future ahead of it, for 
the people are considerably inclined towards indus- 
trial enterprises. The following factories are oper- 
ating in this State: more than 50 weaving and spin- 
ning mills which produce excellent cloth and cash- 
meres and various other fabrics; these are readily 
accepted on the market and compare very favorably 
with similar foreign-made goods; the factories get 
their cotton from Laguna, Tamaulipas, Michoacan 
and other sections of the country, and the wool 
from various States of the Republic. There are 
also alcohol and rum distilleries, soda water works, 
flour mills, and other industrial concerns. 

More than 20,000 people are at present at work 
in the different factories which use electric energy for 
motive power, generated by the great electric plant 
of Necaxa. 

Many other factories can be established in this 
State, for there is all the raw material that can be 
desired and plenty of electric power. In fact, more 
electric plants could be built by utilizing the large 
waterfalls of several of its rivers. 

New factories that could be established are the 
following: mills and factories exploiting the differ- 
ent kinds of fiber that obtain in this and in other 
States; factories for the extracting of vegetable wax 
from the “‘candelilla’’ (euphorbia antisyphilitica) 
and another plant known in the country under the 
name of ‘‘copalxihuitl’’ (myrica xalapensis) which 
abound in the forests of Puebla and contain a great 
deal of splendid wax. Oil mills could also be estab- 
lished for the purpose of exploiting the ‘‘azafran- 


330 The Republic of Mexico 


cillo” (escobeia linearis), sesame seeds, peanuts, 
castor-oil seeds, ‘‘chicalote’’ (argemone mexicana) 
and many other seeds which grow spontaneously in 
the fields and forests of Puebla. Another useful 
plant which abounds is the “‘linaloe’’ (burselia ole- 
oxylon). 

Either more of the kind of factories that already 
are being operated or new industrial enterprises 
might be worked in the State with every prospect of 
success. 


QUERETARO | 


The State is not as much advanced as others in 
the matter of industry, but there are some important 
factories; some spinning and weaving mills making 
cotton, woolen and silk goods; these get their raw 
material from different sections of the country, the 
manufactured goods being sold partly in the State 
and partly in other parts of Mexico. Other fac- 
tories comprise rum distilleries, soap works, soda 
water works, ice plants, noodle factories, flour mills, 
candle works. 

All these factories are of small importance and 
probably do not even supply the local demand. 

Industrial activities should be greatly increased 
in this State, on account of the cheapness of the raw 
material and labor, and the facilities of getting a 
ready market for all the production. 

Electricity is generally used in the weaving and 
spinning mills, and hydraulic power in the flour 
mills. 

Many new industries could be established, such 
as the making of cordage and similar articles, for 
which there is plenty of raw material in the State. 
Vegetable wax should be extracted from the ‘‘cande- 


The Republic of Mexico a9L 


lilla” shrub which for this purpose should be planted 
on a large scale. Glass factories would find in the 
State all the raw material they need; the same is true 
of starch factories. The existing industries should 
by all means be enlarged. Toys for children made 
of reed are also made in the State; this industry 
should be enlarged and reed furniture made from 
the same material. High grade crockery could also 
be manufactured in this State. 


QUINTANA Roo 


From what we learn about the Territory of Quin- 
tana Roo in the preceding chapters, it is quite easy 
to conclude that scarcely any industrial undertaking 
could exist there; in fact there is none besides two 
sawmills; these are moved by steam and use wood 
as fuel. Some of the Indians apply themselves to 
the manufacturing of a few useful, though very 
primitive household articles, such as flat-bottomed 
washtrays and corn-grinding benches which they sell 
to the people of the State of Yucatan. 


SAN Luis Porosi 


Strictly speaking, it cannot be said that the State 
of San Luis Potosi is a manufacturing center to the 
same extent as other States of the Republic. Still 
there is a great future for industrial undertakings 
with excellent probabilities of success, especially as 
soon as means of communication all over the State 
and the production of electric power shall have been 
sufficiently developed. All in all there are about 224 
manufacturing establishments in the State, viz.: 
more than 100 alcohol distilleries, 44 sugar mills, 5 


332 The Republic of Mexico 


match works, one brewery, 25 cigarette factories, 
21 weaving and spinning mills, making cotton, wool 
and silk goods, 3 soap works, 8 brickyards, 2 furni- 
ture factories, 4 noodle factories, one metal foundry, 
3 flour mills and other concerns of minor impor- 
tance. There is also a factory that produces rope, 
cordage and articles made of “‘ixtle’” fiber. ‘“Tuna”’ 
paste is made on nearly all the plantations and farms 
located in the region where the tuna plant grows, 
especially in the center of the State. ‘This product 
is sent all over Mexico. Alcohol distilleries are 
located principally in the vast regions where there is 
an abundance of “‘sotol,” ‘“‘lechuguilla” and ‘“ma- 
guey,’ and on the sugar-cane growing estates. 

The raw material used by all these different fac- 
tories comes partly from this State and partly from 
other sections of the Republic. 

A considerable quantity of the articles produced 
in the factories of the State are consumed in the 
State itself, the rest being sent away to other States. 

A larger production, made possible by better facil- 
ities with regard to motive power, would greatly in- 
crease the export trade of the State of San Luis 
Potosi. 

Electricity is used at present as motive power in 
most of the factories of the State; this is very ex- 
pensive, since it comes from far away. Other fac- 
tories use hydraulic power, especially in the Huas- 
teca section. Motive power could be considerably 
cheapened by erecting electric power plants in the 
State which would be an easy matter. The greatest 
industrial concern in the State is the San Luis Foun- 
dry which employs not less than 800 men. 

New industries could be established, especially in 
the textile field, in order to turn to better account 


The Republic of Mexico 333 


the fiber that obtains in the State, by modern meth- 
ods and machinery. 

The present manufacturing establishments may 
readily be increased, as the demand of the manu- 
factured goods is greater than the supply. 


SINALOA 


Industry has been somewhat neglected in this 
State, where it should have been greatly developed, 
since there is plenty of raw material in the region. 
This is especially true in regard to the spinning and 
weaving industries, at present limited to one unim- 
portant factory, since the necessary raw material is 
quite near at hand. The “ramie’’ fiber is also pro- 
duced in the State, as well as the “guapilla,” from 
which hose, neckties and similar articles can be 
manufactured. ) 

Other factories in the State are the following: a 
number of “pulque”’ brandy distilleries, candle 
works, sugar mills, cigarette factories, furniture fac- 
tories, soda water works, candy and chocolate fac- 
tories, soap works, tanneries, rum distilleries (from 
cane juice). 

None of these factories is of great importance. 
Most of the raw material is produced in the State 
itself. 

Industrial activities can be greatly increased in 
the State, for there is plenty of raw material and the 
importation of all goods needed from outside causes 
these to be very expensive. ‘The State should pro- 
duce a great many of the articles it brings in from 
other sections of the country or from abroad. 

The motive power used at present is either elec- 
tric, hydraulic or animal. 


334 The Republic of Mexico 


All the factories now operated in the State do 
not employ more than 1,600 persons. 

The weaving and spinning industry should be def- 
initely established in the State; the cordage industry 
has here all the necessary prerequisites, such as 
“ouapilla,”’ various species of agaves, ‘‘ramie,”’ 
hemp, “‘lechuguilla,” flax, etc. The leather industry 
could also be easily developed, also factories for 
making paper, glassware, canned fruits, candies, 
canned fish, etc. 


SONORA 


The State of Sonora possesses all the resources 
necessary to engage in different industrial activities, 
somewhat neglected at present. It has several weav- 
ing and spinning mills, soda water works, soap fac- 
tories, brickyards, tanneries, etc., which manufac- 
ture articles for the local market their quantity 
being small and of low grade. The most prosperous 
concern is probably the beer brewery located in the 
City of Hermosillo. 

The principal factories operated in the State are 
the following: several spinning and weaving mills, 
flour mills, soda water works, brickyards, tan- 
neries, cart manufactories, sugar mills, furniture 
factories, cigarette factories, soda cracker fac- 
tories, candle works, and the large brewery already 
mentioned. 

All these factories use raw material obtained in 
the State itself. 

Most of the products of these factories are of the 
lower grade adapted to the needs of the masses and 
consequently consumed in the State. Small quanti- 
ties of the beer are sent to the State of Sinaloa and 
the Territory of Baja California. 


The Republic of Mexico S35 


Electricity is used to some extent as motive power 
in the factories of Sonora, especially in Hermosillo, 
also hydraulic and animal power. 

The number of workmen employed in the factories 
mentioned above does not exceed 2,000. 

Many new industries could be started in Sonora: 
weaving and spinning mills could utilize hemp (can- 
nabis sativa) which grows on the banks of the 
Yaqui river; flax (linum usitatissimum), a spon- 
taneous product along the river Yaqui and in other 
regions of the State; at present only the seeds are 
exploited by the Indians for the making of oil; the 
precious fiber is thrown away; the “‘ramia,” the cul- 
tivation of which was tried in 1891 with the best 
success; the sisal fiber which prospers in the dry sec- 
tions of the central and eastern parts of the State 
could be cultivated in the northwestern portion of 
it; different species of the agaves (agave sp.) and 
other textile plants. Fruit preserving and canning 
factories could also be established; cordage factories 
could exploit the “‘lechuguilla” plant which grows 
plentifully in Sonora. Shoe factories should also be 
established, as well as other concerns that use a great 
deal of leather, along with modern tanneries that 
would prepare all kinds of hides and skins, large 
quantities of which can be had in the State. Cigar 
and cigarette factories would prosper. Years ago 
the white-mulberry tree was planted in the State and 
now grows well; it would be a profitable undertaking 
to extend the cultivation of this tree and that of the 
silkworm, serving as a basis for the successful manu- 
facturing of silk. 

There is plenty of raw material of all kinds in 
Sonora which can easily serve to support and enlarge 
existing as well as new industries. 


330 The Republic of Mexico 
TTABASCO 


Tabasco might be a great manufacturing State, 
because it has abundant elements in its favor for 
becoming one, but it is not. It seems difficult to 
believe that enterprising men should have failed to 
realize the advantages of this section and establish 
themselves here with all the enormous wealth of raw 
material offering such great inducements for the 
profitable investment of capital. The factories 
which ‘Tabasco at present possesses are: two candle 
works, cigar factories, mineral water works, brick 
trarks and one manufacturing dairy Prodacty, and a 
few sugar mills. 

As can be seen, industry is in a very deplorable 
state. In Tabasco the cotton-tree (eriodendron 
grandiflora) is so abundant that the raw material 
could supply whatever number of cotton mills might 
be operated in the State. Lack of capital, lack of 
initiative and lack of workers are the causes of the 
industrial inactivity which exists. Dye plants, tex- 
tile plants, building and other timber, etc., abound, 
that could be the means of establishing large fac- 
tories in so many lines. At present this State must 
depend upon others and exchange with them its raw 
products for the manufactured goods which it re- 
quires. 

All industries await establishment in the State of 
Tabasco, with the certainty that they would have 
the fullest success, not only because of the abun- 
dance of the raw products required, and the small 
cost of sending the manufactured product to market, 
but also because the latter would have a good for- 
eign market. 


The Republic of Mexico S37 
TAMAULIPAS 


As practically all the attention of the people of 
this State is devoted to the petroleum industry, the 
other industrial fields are rather neglected. The 
industrial undertakings at present existing in Ta- 
maulipas include the following: several iron and 
steel foundries, three small spinning and weaving 
mills which manufacture low grade fabrics of dif- 
ferent kinds; several cigarette factories, soda water 
works, candy and chocolate factories, rum distil- 
leries, flour mills, salt works and candle factories. 

These data show that industrial enterprise in the 
State of Tamaulipas is of scarcely any significance; 
the existing factories are small and unimportant. 

All the articles produced are for the local mar- 
kets and are not sufficient, of course, since large quan- 
tities of them have to be imported from other sec- 
tions of the country. All the raw material used © 
comes from the State, which exports large quantities 
of it, instead of enlarging its own industries. The 
leather industry disposes of a certain amount of its 
goods, such as saddles, etc., to outside markets. 

The existing factories are operated either by elec- 
tricity, hydraulic or animal power. All in all they 
employ about 300 people. 

The following industries could be established on 
a large scale in the State: cordage and twine fac- 
tories, using as raw material the fine fiber of the 
‘“‘zapupe’ plant (agave derveyana), of which there 
is a great abundance, as it grows spontaneously in 
the protected and well-irrigated valleys; this fiber is 
very fine, soft and strong, altogether of far better 
qualities than the sisal hemp of which very large 
quantities are exported from the Yucatan Peninsula 


338 The Republic of Mexico 


to the United States. Many different articles can 
be manufactured from the “zapupe’’ fiber. 

The tanning and leather industry could be devel- 
oped and worked on a large scale by modern meth- 
ods. The hat-weaving industry could also be 
worked on a larger scale. Large quantities of beer 
are consumed, particularly along the torrid sec- 
tions of the coast; still there is no brewery in the 
State, all the beer being imported from other States, 
while all the necessary barley could be grown in Ta- 
maulipas. ‘There is plenty of cotton in the State 
and more could be grown, so that it would not be 
dificult to establish large spinning and weaving 
mills. Furthermore, there is no reason why glass, 
crockery and high grade furniture should not be 
manufactured in the State. 


TLAXCALA 


Manufacturing is being started in the State of 
Tlaxcala, which already has three factories of some 
importance, manufacturing a large variety of cloth 
products, and exporting them to the City of Mex- 
ico. About 600 people work in these factories. The 
remaining industries of the State include mineral 
water works, the large railroad machine shops in the 
town of Apizaco which are very important and em- 
ploy a large number of workmen; a brush factory, 
utilizing as raw material the “‘zacaton” grass; and 
a few small home industries which are scarcely worth 
mentioning. | 

The spinning and weaving mills use for their raw 
material cotton and wool from various parts of the 
country, the State of Tlaxcala producing almost 
nothing of this raw material. Mexico City, as we 


The Republic of Mexico 339 


have stated, is the destination of the products of 
these factories, and is the chief distributor, in ac- 
cordance with the needs of the market; as a rule 
these products are sent to the interior of the Re- 
public. 

Electricity is the motive power used by the spin- 
ning and weaving mills in this locality, furnished by 
the Necaxa plant, there being a local power plant in 
the small town of Tlaxcala. 

About 800 people are employed in the factories 
we have mentioned. 

The new industries which in our opinion could be 
profitably established in this section, are: cordage 
and allied manufactures, as besides the “‘maguey”’ 
plant there are other fiber-producing plants, such as 
hemp. Paper mills might also be introduced. The 
extraction of “‘candelilla’”” wax could be started with 
success, as there are large quantities of this plant in 
the State. The thread factories might be increased, 
either by the establishment of new ones or by the en- 
largement of the present ones, so as to obtain a 
larger production, the local advantages being: the 
proximity to the Capital of the Republic, the low 
rates of transport for both the raw material and the 
finished product, and the lower scale of wages paid 
in the State in consequence of the lower cost of 
living. 

VERACRUZ 


Industrial undertakings are progressing rapidly 
in this State, so much so that very soon Veracruz 
will be one of the leading manufacturing centers in 
the Republic. Most of the factories work on a large 
scale. They comprise: weaving and spinning mills 
which manufacture various cloth fabrics of the ordi- 


340 The Republic of Mexico 


nary and the better kinds of cloths, sent to different 
sections of the country; numerous and large sugar 
mills worked by modern methods and machinery and 
turning out magnificent products; rum, wine and 
brandy distilleries, soda water and mineral water 
works, noodle factories, candle factories, one glass 
factory, one paper mill, large breweries, large cigar 
and cigarette factories, alcohol distilleries, soap 
works, oil mills, brickyards and several others. 

Most of the manufactured articles go to the in- 
terior of the country, and large quantities of the 
others are sold abroad. 

The spinning and weaving mills use electric power, 
generated at the waterfall at Barrio Nuevo, Rio 
Blanco, which should be exploited to a greater 
extent. 

The different industrial enterprises employ, all in 
all, about 75,000 people, men, women and children. 

All the existing industries could doubtlessly be 
enlarged and new ones established, for the simple 
reason that all kinds of raw material can be easily 
obtained and that there is a ready market for all 
that can be produced. 


YUCATAN 


The factories established in this State comprise 
one brewery, three ice plants, two cigarette factories, 
two factories for construction material, such as floor- 
bricks, tiles, glazed tiles, etc., several chocolate fac- 
tories, one match factory, one noodle and biscuit 
factory, two factories making cordage and similar ar- 
ticles, one soap and perfume factory, one pastry and 
cake shop and several furniture factories. There are 
also several foundries and machine shops which 


The Republic of Mexico 341 


manufacture different models of rasping machines 
and parts of these; furthermore, several electric 
power and light plants. Nearly all of these fac- 
tories are in the City of Merida, Capital of the 
State. A number of salt works are operated along 
the coast, obtaining culinary salt by evaporation of 
the sea water gathered in natural or artificial pools. 
Ropes and cords are manufactured on most of the 
sisal plantations in quantities sufficient only for their 
own use. Every one of the capital towns of the 
Districts of the State and most of the plantations 
have their own electric light plant. Small chocolate 
factories are established in a number of rural towns. 
The sugar plantations produce alcohol of the best 
grade, extensively used in the State for industrial 
purposes. 

The raw material used by all these industries 
comes from different sources according to the ar- 
ticles manufactured. Sacks, ropes, and similar ar- 
ticles are made from the sisal fiber produced in the 
State; the furniture factories use cedar, mahogany 
and other precious woods from the forests of the 
State; but chocolate and cigarette factories get their 
raw material from other States, other industries get 
theirs from the United States or Europe. 

Most of the articles manufactured in the factories 
we have mentioned are for the local market, a small 
quantity only being exported to neighboring States. 

The manufacturing of sacks on a large scale from 
the sisal fiber would be a splendid business enter- 
prise, since there is a very large demand for such 
articles in the whole Mexican Republic and in near- 
by Cuba, while the present organization and ma- 
chineries in use among the Yucatan manufacturers 
do not permit of an output of bags large enough for 


342 The Republic of Mexico 


the local demand; in fact the State of Yucatan im- 
ports a considerable quantity of sacks made of jute. 
The Yucatan sisal plant has a number of important 
industrial applications. Extensive experimenting 
in the United States with the refuse of the sisal plant 
as delivered from the rasping mills has shown this 
material to be most adequate for the manufacture of 
different grades of paper, all of excellent quality. 
An excellent alcohol can also be extracted from the 
agave that produces the sisal hemp. Curtains, mats, 
caps, footwear, most attractive ladies’ hats and a 
number of other articles can be made and are at 
present made, though on a very small scale, from the 
same sisal fiber. ‘The organization of a strong con- 
cern and modern machinery are needed to create a 
perfectly sound industry. Furthermore, it is claimed 
that sewing thread and an excellent clothing fabric 
can be obtained from the sisal fiber, subjected to 
some special chemical process. 

The factories in this State use, as a rule, wood or 
charcoal as fuel to produce their motive power, some 
employ crude petroleum, gasoline, or even electric 
power. 


ZACATECAS 


Few manufacturing industries are established in 
the State, and the few factories that are operating 
are of little importance; they include spinning and 
weaving mills that manufacture shawls, common cot- 
ton cloth, woolen blankets, match and candle fac- 
tories (6), cigarette factories (7), soap works (5), 
and flour mills (17), metal foundries (4), crock- 
ery factories (4), and a few sugar mills, rum distil- 
leries, soda water works and candy factories. 

The raw materials worked by these factories 


The Republic of Mexico 343 


come from various sources; the wool is produced in 
the State itself; the cotton is brought in from the 
States of Coahuila and Durango; the mills grind the 
wheat grown in the State; the rum distilleries use 
the kind of “maguey”’ called ‘‘cimarron” or “del 
cerro’ (agave asperuna), or the sugar-cane grown 
in the State. | 

Nearly all the manufactured goods are for the 
local market, but the blankets and shawls are well 
liked in the bordering towns and settlements of the 
State of Durango. There is a good demand for 
these articles; for this very reason a great deal more 
of them should be produced. 

The factories we have named are operated by 
hydraulic or animal power; not more than 2,000 
persons are employed in all of them. 

Other industries could be started. In the south- 
eastern section of the State there is an abundance of 
palm-trees which yield a splendid fiber; at present 
it is not exploited; there is also plenty of ‘‘lech- 
uguilla” and nothing is done with it, while it has 
many applications, especially in the cordage and al- 
lied industries. The “guayule” also, instead of 
being exported, should be used for industrial pur- 
poses. There is sufficient material for the running 
of modern tanneries and leather industries; more 
sugar-cane should be planted and more factories 
based on the exploitation of this kind of raw 
material. 


CHAPTER VII 
MINING INDUSTRIES 


The mineral treasures of Mexico were famous 
already in the pre-Columbus times. During the 
Spanish colonization period they became proverbial, 
the quantities of precious metals found during that 
time giving rise to fabulous descriptions of the 
wealth of Mexico. The mines worked during the 
Spanish colonization epoch are by no means ex- 
hausted, and new ones are being constantly discov- 
ered and exploited. Even the remains of the mines 
worked by the Spaniards in the primitive ways 
known at the time, are still full of fine ore. 

Of all the foreign capital invested in the Mexican 
mining industry the American is the largest; but a 
number of mines are in the hands of the English, 
while others are worked by Mexicans or other 
nationalities. 

The right to exploit a mine in Mexico is obtained 
by duly registering the claims with the Secretary of 
State in Mexico City. For the corresponding con- 
cession a yearly tax of ten pesos ($5.00 American 
money) is paid to the Central Government for each 
hectare of land comprised within the claim. The 
Mexican law states that everything beneath the sur- 
face of the land is not private but national property. 
Whenever mineral ore, metal or petroleum, is dis- 
covered on any private property the owner of the 
land has the preferred right of exploitation pro- 


344. 


The Republic of Mexico 345 


vided he pays the corresponding taxes, as stated 
above. The right of exploitation remains intact as 
long as the taxes are paid, irrespective of whether 
any actual work is done or not. 

Individuals as well as companies are in the pos- 
session of mining properties. 

The principal gold mines are located in the States 
of Mexico and Michoacan, in the districts of El Oro 
and [Tlalpujalma; also in the States of Guanajuato, 
Chihuahua, Oaxaca, Sonora, Sinaloa, Zacatecas, 
Queretaro, Durango, San Luis Potosi, Tepic, Na- 
yarit and Baja California. 

Gold is found in alluvial deposits as well as in 
pure gold veins, together with silver, or with silver 
and copper. 

The principal silver deposits are in the States of 
Hidalgo (Pachuca and Real del Monte), Guana- 
juato, Zacatecas, Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Guerrero and 
San Luis Potosi. 

Lead is mined chiefly in the States of Chihuahua, 
Hidalgo, Coahuila and Nuevo Leon, but is found 
also in many other States, in combination with silver 
and copper. 

Pure copper is found in the States of Sonora, 
Michoacan, Jalisco, Guerrero and Chihuahua; cop- 
per in combination with iron—in the States of So- 
nora, Guerrero, Baja California and Michoacan; 
copper combined with lead—in the States of Coa- 
huila, Chiapas and Sonora. But copper mines are 
found also in all the other States. 

Zinc is mostly found combined with silver and 
lead, being often only a by-product in the exploitation 
of silver. The ores contain from I9 to 45 per cent 
of zinc. It is chiefly found in the States of Nuevo 
Leon, Chihuahua, Coahuila and San Luis Potosi. 


340 The Republic of Mexico 


The production of mercury has greatly increased 
since the introduction of the cyanide process. The 
richest mines of this kind are in the States of San 
Luis Potosi, Guerrero, Guanajuato and Michoacan. 

The graphite mines in the State of Sonora are 
the most important of the kind in the whole western 
hemisphere, as far as amorphous graphite is con- 
cerned. ‘These mines in Sonora are very important; 
graphite is also found in the State of Oaxaca. 

Antimony comes chiefly from the States of San 
Luis Potosi, Zacatecas, Oaxaca, Chihuahua and 
Queretaro. The mines of Charcas and Catorce 
furnish most of the antimony that is exported; the 
mines and the foundries belong to English concerns. 

Bismuth and iron are also found and exploited in 
Mexico. 

Coal mines are worked in the States of Chihua- 
hua, Morelos, Veracruz, Hidalgo, Guerrero, San 
Luis Potosi, Queretaro, Durango and Tabasco, but 
the quantities mined do not as yet cover the demand. 

Salt is obtained in the salt works “El Penon 
Blanco”’ near Salinas in the State of San Luis Potosi, 
on the island of El Carmen near the coast of Baja 
California and on the coast of Yucatan from the 
evaporation of salt water. There are large deposits 
of salt on one of the Tres Marias Islands, to the 
west of the port of San Blas on the Pacific coast. 
The gaining of salt by evaporation of the ocean 
water is engaged in in many places on the western 
coast. 

Other mineral products are the following: opals, 
sulphur, onyx, marble, large deposits of phosphate, 
turquoise and malachite. 

Many of these treasures still remain to be ex- 
ploited. 


The Republic of Mexico 347 


In Mexico the mining industry still offers tre- 
mendous possibilities for men of means, intelligence 
and industry. 

Petroleum constitutes the chief wealth of the 
Mexican subsoil; its supply is enormous. Formerly 
the State of Tamaulipas was considered the richest 
in oil; but gradually in the States of Veracruz, Ta- 
basco, Chiapas and Oaxaca rich oil-producing strata 
have been discovered, especially in the sections of 
these States near the coast. 

Further down towards the south the crude oils are 
lighter and more valuable. The oils found on the 
Isthmus of Tehuantepec are said to be highly valu- 
able. 

The petroleum wealth of Mexico is enormous; 
oil-bearing strata one richer than the other are 
found every week. 

Ninety-seven per cent of all the petroleum strata 
in Mexico are in the hands of foreigners, especially 
Americans. 

Full details concerning the mine industries in 
Mexico are given in the following pages, in accord- 
ance with the general plan of this book to present 
conditions in every single State of the Republic. 


AGUASCALIENTES 


Some fifteen mines are being operated in this 
State; the most important of these are the mines of 
the Ballena, San Nicolas de los Angeles, etc. The 
mining camps are: Asientos, the mines of which 
produce silver and copper; Tepezala, silver and 
lead; Rincon de Romos, silver and gold. 

The mining industry employs about 8,000 work- 
men, without counting those who work in the foun- 


348 The Republic of Mexico 


dries. In Tepezala there are marble and slate 
quarries of very excellent stone. 

There are no coal mines, nor is it known whether 
petroleum exists in the State; there is, therefore, 
none of the industries connected with the oil in- 
dustry, such as refineries, distilleries, etc. 

The Asientos mining camp, which is the richest, 
is somewhat neglected; this appears to be due to the 
long war in which the country has been engaged. It 
could again be actively worked and be a source of 
work and wealth. 


BAJA CALIFORNIA 


There are several important mining enterprises 
in the Territory, such as the Santa Rosalia Mining 
Company which exploits the copper mine of El 
Boleo, the silver mines of Real del Castillo, Santa 
Gertrudis, Comodu, San Luis, Mulege, Loreto, and 
those of El Progresso, El Triunfo and San Borja. 

There is also an abundance of lead and iron ore in 
the Territory, and marble is found all along the 
Coast Mountain Ridge. 

Salt is worked principally on the island of El 
Carmen, in Ojo de Liebre, on the island of San Jose 
and also in other places. 

Gold is found in its pure state in the sands of 
rivers and streams and in alluvial deposits, many 
of which are scarcely known and not at all exploited. 

There are large deposits of coal in the Territory, 
but, as in the case of the metals they still await 
exploitation. 

The presence of petroleum in the Territory has 
already been demonstrated, wells having been sunk 
that have proved to be productive. ‘The proper 


ee eS) 


The Republic of Mexico 349 


exploitation of this wealth has not been started as 
yet, but promises great development activities. 

Consequently the mining industry has splendid 
prospects in this section of the Republic, with re- 
gard to the mining of metals, which are worked in- 
adequately and by no means in proportion to the 
richness of the veins, and also with regard to the 
exploitation of coal and the hydrocarbons, the ex- 
istence of which in the Territory is no longer a 
matter of conjecture. 


CAMPECHE 


Very old traditions tell of the existence of im- 
portant layers of copper ore in the District of Cham- 
poton; the truth is that the waters of the Champo- 
ton river are remarkably cupriferous. Parties in- 
terested in this line of business should find it worth 
while to fully investigate the matter. . 

The mountainous elevations around the Capital 
of the State contain large quantities of a white min- 
eral earth, commercially known under the name 
of ‘‘talcum”’; the exploitation of this material would 
be extremely easy, and easier still the shipping of 
it, since conditions are such as to allow direct loading 
into the ship from the places of extraction. 

Investigations undertaken by experts have estab- 
lished the fact that the subsoil of the State contains 
petroliferous layers, concentrated between Champo- 
ton and the District of Los Chenes. There is no 
geological reason why there should be no oil in this 
State, the coasts of which are the continuation of 
the coasts of American States where oil is being ex- 
tracted, as well as of the Mexican States of Ta- 
maulipas, Veracruz and Tabasco, where oil has also 


350 The Republic of Mexico 


been found. The truth is that the subsoil of this 
State has not been sufficiently prospected. 

In nearly all the valleys of the State there is an 
abundance of a ferruginous clay; hence pottery is still 
a general industry among the natives who make all 
kinds of household utensils for the local market. 

Silex is found on the exposed coast of Campeche 
and marble on the shore side of the village of Sey- 
baplaya. None of these quarries are worked. 

The salt works located on the windward coast 
do an important business, the salt being exported to 
the interior of the Republic. 


CHIAPAS 


There are in the heart of the sierras of Chiapas 
quite valuable mineral deposits, but they are not 
worked, or are so only on a very small scale. There 
are no worked mines in the State worth mentioning. 

The only industry deserving of mention is that of 
salt extraction carried on along the coast, a very 
excellent salt being produced which is shipped to the 
interior of Mexico and to various towns of Guate- 
mala and El Salvador, Central America. 

The principal metals produced in Chiapas are: 
copper, in Esquintal; coal, which is very little 
worked, iron, silver, gold, talc, asphalt, sulphur 
(principally near Tapachula), alabaster, nitrate of 
soda and yellow amber. 

None of them are utilized in the manner which 
the deposits would warrant. 

Petroleum has not been exploited up to the pres- 
ent. There has only been some exploration work 
which proves that it exists. Both oil and coal will 
very soon be worked on a proper scale. 


The Republic of Mexico Z51 
CHIHUAHUA 


The mines of Chihuahua have been famous; the 
silver mines of Parral have produced large fortunes. 
The mines of this State have been worked for many 
years and still are yielding high grade metals. 

Notwithstanding the general slump in the mining 
industry in the whole country, several companies are 
actively operating, some of them possessing two or 
three veins. The following are the principal mining 
concerns in this State: Santo Domingo Silver Mfg. 
Co., La Gloria, San Gabriel, Tres Hermanos, in 
Batopilas; the Professor mine, worked by the Pro- 
fessor Mining Company; the mine of Sabinal in 
Casas Grandes; the American Smelting and Refin- 
ing Co., Compania de Metales y Minerales, Potosi 
Mining Co., The Buena Tierra Mining Co., Magda, 
Planchas de Plata, in Ciudad Juarez; the Apache, 
in Colonia Dublan; Cusi, Santamarina, San Miguel, 
Hortensia, Santa Elena, El Mirasol, Promontorio, 
La Abundancia, in Cusihuiriachic; Compania Min- 
era San Pascual de las Adargas, in Jimenez; La 
Palmilla, Veta Grande, Presena, El Refugio, San 
Patricio, and others, in Parral. 

These mines produce gold, silver, copper, lead, 
coal, iron, mercury, etc. 

The most famous mines are those of Parral, 
Santa Eulalia, Minas Nuevas, Palmarejo, Guaza- 
pares, Cusihuiriachic, Batopilas, Cerro Colorado, 
and Corralitos. 

Thirty-six thousand workmen are occupied in the 
mining industry. 

No coal is exploited in this State, nor has it been 
definitely established that there are any deposits of 
hydrocarbons, though it is thought that eventually 


352 The Republic of Mexico 


they will be discovered, as has been the case in other 
sections of the country. 

The brightest prospects of the State of Chihuahua 
certainly lie in its mining industry. 


COAHUILA 


Although this is not one of the principal mining 
States in the Republic, its mining industry is never- 
theless quite important. There are very rich mineral 
deposits in the neighborhood of Saltillo, in the sierra 
of El Carmen, in Sierra Mojada and in other parts 
of the State. In the matter of subsoil treasures the 
State of Coahuila owes its fame to the inexhaustible 
deposits of coal which are exploited in La Rosita, 
Las Esperanza, Muzquiz and Sabinas. The quantity 
of coal produced is over one million tons every year. 

The mines of this State produce silver, gold, cop- 
per, lead andiron. This latter is particularly plenti- 
ful in the mountain of Monclava, its ore containing 
more than 60 per cent of iron. 

More than 30,000 people are working in the 
metal and coal-mining industry; more than half of 
these work in the coal mines of La Rosita and Espe- 
ranzas. The pit-coal used by the National Railroads 
of Mexico comes from these mines. Much of this 
coal is exported to the neighboring United States. 

In spite of the coal wealth of the State, no petro- 
liferous deposits have been discovered as yet. 


COLIMA 


The mining industry has been dreadfully neglected 
in this State, so much so that absolutely no metal 
is produced, although there are undoubtedly mineral 


The Republic of Mexico 353 


deposits in the sierras of the State; not even sulphur 
which is plentiful in the famous volcano of Colima, 
is exploited. 

But there are rich salt deposits all along the coast 
which, as partly that of the State of Michoacan, is 
low and sandy. The most noteworthy salt deposits 
are found in the lagoon of Cuyutlan, which is very 
extensive and artificially connected with the ocean; 
also in Pascuales, Cualata, San Pantaleon, Gua- 
zongo, Guayabal, Carrizal, Tecuan, Caiman, etc. 

These salt works employ more than 4,000 work- 
men. 

‘There is no coal in this State, as far as is known, 
but there are great possibilities of the existence of 
hydrocarbons. Up to the present time not much can 
be said about the possible prospects of the oil- 
extracting industry in this State. 


DIsTRITO FEDERAL 


The Federal District has no mining industry of 
any kind. Quarries, lime, sand, etc., are exploited 
for construction purposes. 

While there are no coal or hydrocarbon deposits 
in the District, a number of oil refineries are estab- 
lished there, belonging to different petroleum com- 
panies. 


DuURANGO 


The State of Durango is a large producer of min- 
erals and a number of things contribute toward mak- 
ing it the most important State from this point of 
view. We may state at the outset that it has the two 
largest foundries in the country: the Velardena and 
the Mapimi foundries; it further possesses more 


354 The Republic of Mexico 


than one hundred small plants for treating ores. 
Among the chief mining centers may be mentioned: 
Guanacevi, Bacis, San Dimas, Ventanas, Copalquin, 
producing gold and silver; Gavilanes, Topia, Vacas, 
Quebradilla, Panuco, yielding silver; Velardena, 
Ojuelo, San Andres de la Sierra, Inde, mining lead 
and silver; Descubridor, El Cobre, Avino, Canelas 
and Magistral, extracting copper; and Cerro de 
Mercado, Durango, producing iron. Sulphur is 
obtained on a large scale at Mapimi, in the Banderas 
and ‘Tajada mines. In San Juan de Guadelupe 
fairly good marble is obtained, and there are ex- 
cellent quarries in the State, especially near the City 
of Durango. 

The methods which have up to the present time 
been employed in treating ores are: concentration, 
amalgamation, lixiviation, cyaniding, smelting and 
flotation. 

The ore production of the State of Durango has 
during recent years exceeded $20,000,000 per an- 
num, giving employment to nearly 70,000 workmen. 

At San Luis del Cordero and at Mapimi discov- 
eries have been made of mineral fuel; in the first 
mentioned place, of coal, and in the other, of petro- 
leum. Exploration work has been going on for 
some time, as it appears also that at San Carlos, 
near Ciudad Lerdo, the sinking of an oil-well has 
been started. The working of mineral deposits of 
the kind mentioned would be of immense advantage 
to the ore-treating plants in the State. 


GUANAJUATO 


The mines of the State of Guanajuato are very 
old; they had been exploited by the Spanish Con- 


The Republic of Mexico 355 


querors. The principal products of its mines are: 
galena, gold, silver, lead, copper, bismuth, agates, 
amethysts, feldspar, etc. The most notable mines 
are those of El Pinguito, El Cedro, La Central, El 
Rancho, San Isidro, La Peregrina, La Valencia, 
Jesus Maria, Mellado, La Providencia, San Juan 
de Luz. There are good mines in San Luis de la 
Paz, in Pozos and in other places. 

Most of these mines operate on a part time 
basis, many others are shut up completely, due to 
several causes, but chiefly to the fact that men pos- 
sessing the necessary means seem to lack determina- 
tion to engage in the forceful exploitation of the 
rich metal-bearing veins, at present almost com- 
pletely abandoned. The mines of Guanajuato, San 
Felipe and Silao have been saved from a similar fate 
and are being worked with certain regularity, as for 
example the mines of Flores, San Matias, and sev- 
eral foundries. 

At present some 50,000 workmen are engaged in 
the mining industry. | 

Up to the present time no deposits of coal or 
hydrocarbons have been discovered in this State. 
The mining of metals offers the greatest possible 
field for the investment of capital and energy. 


(GUERRERO 


The mineral treasures of this State have been ex- 
ploited ever since the Spanish colonization, and are 
still enjoying great fame. The most noteworthy of 
all is still the mine of Taxco, a rich producer of gold, 
silver and lead, treated in the foundries of the place 
itself, since it would be impossible to send the ore- 


350 The Republic of Mexico 


stone out of the State. This ore deposit of Taxco 
is the richest of its kind. 

The mines of the State produce every year some 
5,000,000 pesos, 7. €., 2,500,000 American dollars 
worth of metal. 

About 4,000 people are employed in the mining 
industry, not counting the numerous persons en- 
gaged in fishing gold nuggets in the river sands, for 
the rivers of this State with the exception of the 
rivers of the State of Sonora are the richest in gold. 

There is coal in the State of Guerrero, but it 
is not exploited. The principal mines of this kind 
are Los Grados and La Dicha, in Taxco. In San 
Nicolas del Oro there are gold and good quality 
opals. Deposits of coal and opals exist also in 
Huitzuco. 

Petroleum strata are believed to exist in the State 
of Guerrero, but there is nothing certain about it. 


HIDALGO 


The reputation of the State of Hidalgo is based 
solely upon its mines, as famous as those of the 
States of Guanajuato, Durango, Sonora, Mexico, 
Zacatecas and others which consider themselves 
mining States. It is not easy to arrive at the truth 
as to which State is really the “premier” in this 
respect whether, as appears from official data, it is 
the State of Durango, or whether it is, as has some- 
times been stated, that of Guanajuato or the State 
of Hidalgo, as it claims. Fortuitous circumstances 
sometimes give the pre-eminence to one State and 
sometimes to another. Hidalgo contains famous 
mining camps: Pachuca, the Capital of the State is 
engaged in mining exclusively. Among the most 


The Republic of Mexico 357 


celebrated mines we may mention: Fresnillo, La 
Blanca, Maravillas, Santa Gertrudis, Santa Ana, 
San Rafael, Real del Monte, Dolores, Dificultad, 
San Ignacio, Cabrera, Tiro Hermoso, Acosta, Guer- 
rero, these last in Real del Monte; and La Con- 
cordia, El Carrizal, and others, in Zimapan. They 
produce iron, gold, silver, lead, sulphate of silver, 
carbonate of lime, and other products, which are 
handled in several ore-treating plants. 

The mines in the State give employment to not 
less than 30,000 workers. 

The working of the mines could be developed by 
the use of shafts which at present are being operated 
on a very small scale. The mining wealth of Hi- 
dalgo is inexhaustible and could be worked profit- 
ably for many, many years. 

Although the State of Hidalgo, in view of its 
location with regard to the principal deposits of 
hydrocarbons, should be one of the principal pro- 
ducers of mineral oil, it is not so, and we cannot 
mention even one industry of this nature. ‘There 
are probabilities that this much sought after product 
exists under the soil. 

Hidalgo is and will be even more so in the future 
a vast field for new mining enterprises. 


JALISco 


The State of Jalisco does not pretend to be the 
first mining State of the Republic, but, nevertheless, 
it has some very rich mines which are quite famous, 
as for instance that of Bolanos. 

The following mines are being worked, though 
not to a very large extent: several in Ameca, Ayutla, 
Bolanos, Etzatlan, Guadalajara, Lagos, Mascota, 


358 The Republic of Mexico 


San Sebastian, Sayula, Tecalitlan, Teocaltiche, Te- 
quila. Not less than thirty mines are important at 
present. They produce gold, silver, copper, lead, 
mercury, antimony, coal, “‘tecali’’ marble, asphalt 
and iron. In former years there were not less than 
eighty flourishing mines in the State, from which 
large quantities of fine metal were obtained. At pres- 
ent great efforts are being made to regain the former 
productivity of the mines, and it is certain that be- 
fore long this State will be one of the most impor- 
tant in the mining industry, which at present gives 
employment to more than 20,000 people. 

There are coal deposits in the State, and a con- 
cession has already been granted by the Govern- 
ment for the exploration and the eventual exploita- 
tion of hydrocarbons which certainly exist in the 
southern and western sections of the State. 


MeExIco 


Although the State of Mexico has not the typical 
aspect of a mining country, some districts of it are 
considerably rich in minerals. El Oro has mines 
of great fame; in Sultepec, Valle de Bravo, Tamax- 
caltepec and Zacualpan there are mines which 
yield large quantities of gold, silver, copper and 
lead. 

The State has excellent quarries, the products of 
which are sent to the City of Mexico as are also 
large quantities of lime. 

The State has an excellent metal foundry in El 
Salto and in Valle de Bravo, this district producing 
a great deal of iron. 

At least 12,000 people are occupied in the mining 
industry. 


The Republic of Mexico 359 


There are no traces of coal or petroleum in the 
State of Mexico. 

New possibilities will be created as soon as rail- 
way lines allow of the tapping of rich districts, such 
as Sultepec and Valle de Bravo, isolated at the 
present time. 


MICHOACAN 


Although Michoacan cannot call itself an impor- 
tant mining State, it has some good mines; among 
these may be mentioned: Dos Estrellas, in Tlalpu- 
jahua, which produces high grade gold and silver 
ore; the mines of Angangueo and Zitacuaro, Mara- 
vatio and Cotija; in Zitacuaro and Cotija there are 
large deposits of kaolin, so that the making of high 
grade porcelain would probably be very successful 
in the State of Michoacan. 

The mines of this State produce copper, alum, 
coal, lead, iron and sulphur, the last two products 
being found chiefly in the section called Los Hor- 
nitos. 

At the present time the mines in the State of 
Michoacan do not employ more than 4,000 workers. 

The coal mines and deposits are scarcely worked, 
and await proper development. 

There are also deposits of hydrocarbons, espe- 
cially in the Huetamo section, where oil-wells will 
probably be drilled within a short time, with every 
prospect of success. 


MorELOS 


Mining is not the principal industry engaged in 
by the people of this State; nevertheless it has some 
very important mineral deposits, greatly neglected 
at present. 


300 The Republic of Mexico 


Fairly good marbles and quarries are exploited in 
Yautepec; the product goes to the City of Mexico. 
In several sections of the State there are mercury, 
gold, silver, lead, alabaster and lithographic stone 
which is sent to Mexico City. 

As can be seen, the State of Morelos could not be 
called a mining State. 

Investigations are being made in order to ascer- 
tain whether there is petroleum in its subsoil. At 
any rate the progress and welfare of the State 
cannot be based on the mining industries. 


NAYARIT 


There are some mines in Compostela, Ixtlan and 
Santiago Ixcuintla, which are being worked, though 
not actively. Silver, gold and copper are the prin- 
cipal products. The mines of El Sol de Oro, Piedra 
Verde, El Zopilote, Mojocuotla, La Purisima, La 
Luz, Los Tejones, La Cucaracha and two or three 
more in Ixtlan have good paying minerals which at 
the present time are only imperfectly treated. 

No more than 2,000 workers are at present occu- 
pied in the mines of this State; this proves how 
relatively unimportant they are. 

No coal is exploited in this State, and no formal 
work has as yet been undertaken to determine the 
existence of oil in its subsoil. 


NueEvo LEON 


Due to the general decay of economic life of the 
whole country in the last few years, the State of 
Nuevo Leon has witnessed a decline in its mining 
industry contrasting painfully with its activity in 


The Republic of Mexico 301 


former days, but it feels confident that a gradual 
improvement in conditions will not fail to come, in 
view of the latent wealth of its soil and subsoil. 

Various mines are being worked: La Fraternal, 
La Plomosa, Flor de Pena, in Lampazos; several 
concerns in Monterrey and veins in other sections of 
the country are being worked at present; they pro- 
duce chiefly iron, silver, lead, zinc, copper, cinnabar, 
coal, white marble, onyx and sulphur. 

Coal is exploited, though in a lesser degree than 
in the State of Coahuila. 

Nothing positive is known as yet with regard to 
the existence of hydrocarbons in this State, notwith- 
standing its comparative proximity to the oil layers 
of Tamaulipas and San Luis Potosi. 

The existing mineral veins and the new ones that 
in all probability will be discovered offer a fertile 
field for the mining industry in this State. 


OAXACA 


It cannot be said that proper attention is given to 
the rich deposits of ore in Oaxaca, although it might 
appear so from the fact that there are several smelt- 
ing works in the State. But the truth of the matter 
is that the mines are operated without care, and are 
not worked to their full extent. The best known 
mining centers are: Ocotlan, where gold, silver and 
copper are produced; Ejutla, where the mines are 
completely shut down, although they are very rich; 
Tlaxiaco, which has some very rich ore deposits. 
Huajapan de Leon has some deposits of coal which 
have not been worked yet. Mining here has an ad- 
ditional great source, which is within everybody’s 
reach, namely the sands of some of the rivers near 


302 The Republic of Mexico 


the border of the State of Guerrero, which contain 
nuggets of gold. 

Besides gold, silver, copper, iron, zinc, lead, anti- 
mony and coal, Oaxaca produces high grade marble, 
onyx, similar to the celebrated onyx of Tecali in the 
State of Puebla, and highly valued porphyries. 

In recent years hydrocarbon exploration work has 
been carried on in all the southern States, and it is 
stated that bitumens are found in the majority of 
those States. This also has been done in the State 
of Oaxaca, and various concessions have been 
granted for exploration work and the drilling of 
wells. On the side which adjoins the State of 
Puebla, some companies have worked out oil claims. 

Coal is found, but it has not been worked so far. 

The mining camps of Taviche, Totolapan and 
San Jose have metal foundries. 


PUEBLA 


Puebla cannot be called a mining State, at least 
not in the sense the word is applied to a number of 
other States in the Republic. It has, nevertheless, 
a number of mineral deposits, such as those of Te- 
ziutlan, which contain gold, silver, copper, iron, lead 
and zinc; there are also some silver layers in At- 
lixco. The State of Puebla is famous for its fine 
onyx and Tecali marble. Its onyx especially is in 
great demand. Of late the price of this onyx has 
been about 250 dollars per cubic meter. The people 
of this section of the State manufacture wonderful 
articles made of onyx, such as inkstands, jewelry 
boxes, paperweights, statuettes, animals, etc. 

About 2,000 workmen are engaged in the mining 
industry in this State. 


s f 
Pee Se) ee eee 


The Republic of Mexico 303 


Coal is exploited to a very small extent in the 
section called San Juan de los Llanos. 

It is possible that there are hydrocarbons in the 
southern section of the State; explorations have been 
carried on there. No oil has been exploited in this 
State so far. 

Systematic exploitation of the coal deposits should 
yield splendid results. 


QUERETARO 


The mining industry is carried on in this State 
on modest but sure and positive lines. ‘There are 
more than one hundred mines in the State, a few 
only being worked, though not as fully as in former 
times. 

The principal mineral deposits are those of Ca- 
dereyta, Jalpan, Toliman, Pinal de Amoles and 
Tequisquiapan. The mines worked at present are 
those of Mina Grande, El Penasco, Santiago, La 
Gachupina, La Concepcion, Los ririog and several 
others. 

The mines of the States produce gold, silver, anti- 
mony, galena, mercury and iron; there are also 
mines that yield agate, opals and coal. 

The exploitation of opals is a very popular in- 
dustry in this State; a large number of people are 
engaged in it, producing some fine and highly prized 
stones. The industry is not properly organized and 
therefore does not yield the results that could be 
expected. 

There is coal in several mines, but its proper ex- 
ploitation has not even been started. 

Nothing positive is known concerning the exist- 
ence of hydrocarbons in this State. 


304 The Republic of Mexico 
QUINTANA Roo 


No mining whatsoever is done in the Territory 
of Quintana Roo, nor have any layers of metal, coal 
or oil been discovered there up to now. 


SAN Luis Poros! 


Although the name of the State is almost syn- 
onymous with mining, as the name was given to it 
for the very reason that it was considered to be as 
rich as the famous Potosi in Peru, its mining in- 
dustry is not so flourishing as might be supposed, 
although the State has one very important mine. 

The mines which are being worked are those of 
Matehuala, among which we may mention the fol- 
lowing: Dolores, Trompeta and dependencies, La 
Trinidad, La Paz, Catorce, Cedral, Guadalcazar 
(today “Iturbide’’) and those which gave rise to the 
name of ‘‘Potosi’’ for the State, the mines of San 
Pedro, among which we must mention the Barreno 
mine. Villa de Reyes is also an important mining 
camp. 

The salt-extracting industry is carried on at Sa- 
linas in the Salado section. The salt manufacturing 
company of the State, which exploits the salt de- 
posits is called “Salinas of Mexico,” being locally 
known under the name of “Salinas de Penon 
Blanco”; it supplies the whole of the country with 
salt. It has other producing centers, such as Mi- 
choacan, Manzanillo, etc., but the Salinas de Penon 
Blanco are the most important of all, both on ac- 
count of their enormous production as well as the 
high quality of the product. 

The mines of the State produce principale silver 


: 
1 





The Republic of Mexico 305 


in Matehuala, Catorce, and Cerro de San Pedro; 
there are quarries at Guadalcazar, which produce 
excellent stone. The State produces also antimony, 
cinnabar, gold, copper, lead and zinc to a certain 
proportion in its silver mines. As a matter of fact 
all the mines in the State of San Luis Potosi are 
silver mines. 

The mining industry, in which we include the salt- 
extracting industry employing at least 5,000 people 
in this State, offers employment to about 25,000 
men. 

Coal is not mined in the State, although it is be- 
lieved to exist, but no efforts have yet been made to 
undertake any exploring work. 

Petroleum strata are plentiful in this State, a 
number of wells having been sunk already. Several 
refineries are established in Ebano. The petroleum 
industry of the State offers the most brilliant pros- 
pects, there being sections in which no boring opera- 
tions have as yet been carried out; such sections are 
now attracting much attention as reserve fields for 
the companies devoting themselves to this industry. 
Mining, which at the present moment is in a state 
of decline owing to certain unfavorable conditions, 
will be eventually developed with the certainty of 
success. 


SINALOA 


This is a great mining state. As is the case with 
the State of Sonora and the Territory of Baja Cali- 
fornia, many of its rivers carry gold nuggets. The 
mines produce high grade silver, gold, copper, lead, 
iron, tin and cinnabar. Unfortunately, the prin- 
cipal mineral centers, such as Rosario, San Ignacio, 
etc., have no proper shipping facilities for the moving 


300 The Republic of Mexico 


of their products, which makes the mining less profit- 
able than would be the case if such facilities existed. 

Many mines in this State are being actively 
worked, among them the following: El Tajo, Pa- 
nuco, Realito, La Prieta, Nuestra Senora, Bolanos, 
Iguana, Rosarito. 

The number of workers at present engaged in the 
mining industry does not compare with those em- 
ployed in former times; it does not exceed 5,000. 

As far as known there are no deposits of coal or 
petroleum in this State. 

The future of the State, as far as the mining in- 
dustry is concerned, lies in the resumption of former 
activities and the full exploitation of the existing 
mineral deposits. 


SONORA 


The State of Sonora is considered to be the leader 
among the mining States of the Republic. Its great 
mines produce copper, gold, silver, antimony, cinna- 
bar, iron, graphite, marbles, jasper, onyx, rock salt 
and coal. There are good foundries in Guaymas, 
Cananeas and Hermosillo. 

Some of the mining concerns are the following: 
in Cananea: Cananea Consolidated Copper Com- 
pany, [The Soud Cananea Copper Company, Bis- 
bee Cananea, Nacozari Development, La Mexicana, 
Fl Alacran, La Democrata, Santa Catarina, Cerro 
Blanco. In Nacozari: Los Pilares, of the Mocte- 
zuma Copper Co. In Lampazos: El Tajo, Pilares 
de Tebas, El Tigre; the first two yield silver and the 
last named gold in its pure state. In Arispe: El 
Picacho, El Carmen, Las Chispas, El Basaitequi, 
and the placer mines of Bacoachi, where large gold 
nuggets are found. In Sahuaripa: La Bufa, pro- 





The Republic of Mexico 307 


ducing high grade silver, and La Trinidad which 
yields gold. The gold produced in this mine is 950 
per mil pure, i. ¢., purer than the United States gold 
pieces. In Hermosillo: La Brozuda, La Carmela, 
La Confianza, La Colorado, El Tramado, La Lluvia 
de Oro, Las Animas, La Zacatecana and others. 
Placer mines are found in the neighborhood of Her- 
mosillo, in a place called Suaqui Grande. In Mag- 
dalena: Planchas de Plata, Cerro Prieto, La Brisca, 
Clondyks. In Altar: Llanos de Oro, El Tiro, La 
Yaqui, La Reina del Cobre. In Alamos: La Virginia, 
Dios Padre, Valenciana, yielding gold and silver, etc. 

Most of the rivers in this State carry gold gran- 
ules. 

The coal mines are not exploited to their full ex- 
tent, though they are doubtless an important source 
of wealth. 

There are no signs of the existence of petroleum 
in this State, up to the present time at least. 


TABASCO 


The mining industries are unknown in this State 
owing, in the first place, to its geological formation 
which is alluvial, and because the State has no moun- | 
tains. 

There are very strong probabilities that immense 
deposits of petroleum exist under its soil, explora- 
tions on a large scale and the sinking of oil-wells being 
well under way. 


TAMAULIPAS 
The mining industry is growing weaker every day, 


notwithstanding the richness of the mines which were 
exploited in former days. 


308 The Republic of Mexico 


There are mines producing silver, lead, copper, 
bismuth, antimony, coal, iron and marble in the 
Sierra Madre Oriental which crosses the southern 
section of the State. At present scarcely a few 
mines in the district of Jaumave are worked. 

But unusual activity is shown in the exploitation 
of the oil wealth of the State. ‘The principal oil 
fields of the State of Tamaulipas are located in 
Ebano, Chijol, Carrizalillo, Dona Cecilia and Arbol 
Grande. There are wells that produce more than 
160,000 barrels of oil a day. Several oil refineries 
are operating in Tampico, and in Arbol Grande. 
These refineries are complete, there being no topping 
plants as in Veracruz for the separation of the 
products. 

There are important salt works in the State, prin- 
cipally in Soto la Marina; in this section there is 
asphalt which is also being successfully exploited. 


TLAXCALA 


There are no mining industries in this State. It 
is possible that there are mineral deposits under the 
surface which contain some of the metals in suf- 
ficient quantity to make their extraction a paying 
proposition, but at the present time nothing is being 
done in this respect, nor has any oil-drilling been 
done here, as no traces of the existence of hydro- 
carbons have been discovered. 


VERACRUZ 


Although the gigantic success of the petroleum 
industry has completely overshadowed all other 
mining enterprises, there are, nevertheless, very 





>. 


The Republic of Mexico 309 


large and paying metaliferous deposits in the State 
of Veracruz, which produce gold, silver, lead, 
copper, iron, mercury, coal, asphalt, marble, 
opals, agates, lapis lazuli and amethysts. Various 
districts of Orizaba are located on large lakes of 
petroleum. 

The petroleum industry has nearly eliminated all 
the other mining activities, but in time these will 
receive renewed attention. 

The whole attention of the State is concentrated 
on the petroleum industry. Some coal is mined in 
San Andres Tuxtla, where coke is also prepared. 

An abundance of oil is found in the fields of Chin- 
ampa, Amatlan, Juan Casiano, Naranjos, Tan- 
cochin, Zacamixtle, Solis, Zapotal, Tantoco, To- 
teco, Cerro Azul, Tierra Amarilla, Potrero del 
Llano, Alamo, Cerro Viejo, Tenapache, Numatitlan 
and in a number of other places. 

The northern section of the State is crossed by 
various oleoducts, some laid to the port of Tampico, 
and others to Tuxpan, Puerto Lobos, Dos Bocas, 
etc., where the oil is stored in a number of steel 
tanks, each of these being capable of holding 55,000 
barrels of petroleum. 

The extraction of oil is feverishly engaged in by 
American and English companies and such of other 
nationalities. ‘There are oil-wells in the petroleum 
section of this State the productivity of which is 
enormous. ‘The potentiality of the Juan Casiano 
well, no longer exploited, and the Cerro Azul well, 
still worked, is calculated at 250,000 barrels a day. 
Many other wells under operation produce 100,000 
and others 60,000 barrels daily, though there are 
others that produce only a few thousand barrels a 
day. 


370 The Republic of Mexico 


The State of Veracruz furnishes two-thirds of the 
entire petroleum production in Mexico. 

Most of the oil refineries operated in the country 
are located in territory of this State, for with the 
exception of three located in Tampico all the others 
are found in this State. 

Three topping plants, the object of which is simply 
to separate the products, are being operated: one on 
the right bank of the Panuco river in front of Tam- 
pico, another in ‘Tuxpan, and the third in Puerto 
Lobos. 

Oleoducts run from Chiconcillo to Puerto Lobos, 
from Palo Blanco, Chiconcillo, Tepetate to Agua 
Dulce; another crosses the T'amiahua Lagoon, start- 
ing from Las Huastecas; another runs from Los 
Naranjos and Zapotal to Mata Redonda, etc. 

All these data give an idea of the tremendous 
activity in the petroleum industry in this State em- 
ploying thousands of workmen. Other sections of 
the State have also been successfully explored, and 
shown to contain equal oil wealth. 

At present the State of Veracruz is the wealthiest 
among all the States of the Republic of Mexico. The 
State Treasury is always well supplied with money. 


YUCATAN 


There are no mines of either coal or metals in 
this State. 

Beds of gypsum are found in the district of Peto; 
nobody has ever paid attention to them, although 
gypsum has a large demand in the State. Excellent 
clay, employed by the people of that section for the 
manufacturing of earthenware, is found in the dis- 
trict of Ticul. There are extensive quarries in the 





a. 
‘ 
4 
i 


The Republic of Mexico eo) 


same district, from which highly valuable construc- 
tion material is obtained, the stone presenting beau- 
tiful colors and veins. 

As far as petroleum is concerned rich oil-produc- 
ing strata exist in the subsoil of this State, accord- 
ing to the statements of noted geologists who have 
made a careful study of the subsoil in this territory 
and in that of the neighboring State of Campeche. 


ZACATECAS 


The State of Zacatecas owes its fame to the 
wealth of its mines. Unfortunately, the mining in- 
dustry is greatly declined, scarcely a few of its rich- 
est veins being at present exploited on a small scale. 

Only a number of old-timers, satisfied with what 
little they get out of them and working with very 
imperfect means and in accordance with antiquated 
methods, are operating the following mines: in 
Zacatecas, one of the most famous mineral deposits 
in the Republic: El] Eden and San Manuel; in Fres- 
nillo: the famous mines of Proanos, the people 
working just enough not to desert the mines alto- 
gether; in Concepcion de Oro: some of the rich 
argentiferous deposits of Sombrerete, Los Tocayos 
and Santa Rosa; in Chalchihuites: El Purgatorio; in 
Nieves: Ojo Caliente; in La Noria de San Panta- 
leon: Mazapil and Plateros. Numerous veins are 
abandoned, or nearly so, as for example the mines 
of Quebradilla, Tiro de Lete, Los Campos, San 
Fernando, and a hundred more in Zacatecas; Veta 
Grande; various mines in Fresnillo; San Pedro in 
Sombrerete; Tejuairon, etc., in other sections of the 
State. 

All these mines used to produce,—and all will pro- 


3/2 The Republic of Mexico 


duce once more for the proper enterprising parties 
that care to go into such enterprises—antimony, 
cinnabar, copper, iron, silver, gold, lead, mercury 
and zinc, in large quantities. 

At present not more than about 5,000 people are 
engaged in the mining industry in this State. 

This State does not produce any coal, nor have 
we been able to find out anything reliable concerning 
the existence of hydrocarbons in the subsoil. 

But we should like to emphasize again that the 
reopening of those mines that are entirely aban- 
doned, and for the working of which the necessary 
concessions can easily be obtained from the Govern- 
ment, and the exploitation of new mines in this 
State would be a splendid investment. 


CHAPTER VIII 


CLIMATE—RAINFALL—SIERRAS—RIVERS—W ATER- 
FALLS—LAKES—LAGOONS—ARCHAEO- 
LOGICAL RUINS—SIGHTS 


Climatic conditions in Mexico are influenced by 
the elevation above sea level and the general terrain 
rather than by the geographical location and the 
effects of neighboring territories. 

The Mexican people generally speak of three dif- | 
ferent zones in which the temperature varies ac- 
cording to elevation: the ‘“Tierra Caliente’ or hot 
zone, the “Tierra Templada’’ or temperate zone, 
and the “Tierra Fria” or cold zone. 

The hot zone comprises the sections of the 
country along the coasts and the flat land of the 
Yucatan Peninsula, up to an elevation of 1,000 
meters above sea level. Here precipitation varies 
from 770 to 850 millimeters, the average tempera- 
ture varying between 20 and 25 degrees Centigrade. 
(One meter is equal to about 39.37 inches, and one 
centimeter to about one-fourth of an inch, one milli- 
meter is the tenth part of one centimeter.) Climate 
and vegetation are tropical. The growth comprises 
palm trees, sugar-cane, rice, cocoa, sisal hemp, trop- 
ical timber and dyewoods. 

The temperate zone is called the sections of the 
country situated at 1,000 to 2,000 meters above sea 
level, where the average rainfall during the year 
varies between 660 and 770 millimeters. ‘The mean 


Bro 


374 The Republic of Mexico 


temperature varies from 15 to 20 degrees Centi- 
grade. ‘The climate is subtropical, and its vegeta- 
tion includes coffee, vanilla, sugar-cane, corn, wheat, 
oaks and pines. In some sections the nights are 
extremely cold, the temperature often dropping to 
the freezing point. 

The cold zone comprises all such sections of the 
country as are situated at elevations above 2,000 
meters above sea level. Here precipitation varies 
from 480 to 660 millimeters. Some are of the 
opinion that the cold zone begins only at an altitude 
of 2,400 meters above sea level. ‘The mean temper- 
ature in this zone varies from 19.5 to 22.5 degrees 
Centigrade; the average yearly temperature is from 
Io to 15 degrees Centigrade up to an elevation of 
3,000 meters above sea level. During the winter 
months freezing is quite common. Here wheat and 
similar grains, Irish potatoes and northern or Euro- 
pean fruit grow. ‘The cactuses and the agaves are 
typical of these regions. ‘The uncultivated areas are 
partly subtropical steppes, partly forests of oaks, 
pines or conifers, willows and ash trees. 

Rainfall varies in the different zones. ‘The rainy 
season for the whole country is from May to Oc- 
tober. The rainy season is called in the country 
‘tiempo de agua,’ and the dry season “tiempo de 
seca.’’ Rainfall is most plentiful along the Atlantic 
Ocean. The entire northwestern section of Mexico, 
including the Peninsula of Baja California, is very 
dry. Kain is infrequent and very irregular on the 
northern high plateau (Mesa del Norte). 

The States situated within this zone have as a rule 
a very hot summer and a fairly cold winter. To- 
wards the south the climate is milder and the rain 
more plentiful. 


The Republic of Mexico 375 


On the central plateau (Mesa Central) there are 
at times heavy rains during the dry season, as a 
consequence of the strong northern winds coming 
from the United States, generally accompanied by 
a sudden fall of temperature; the southern States 
of Chiapas, Oaxaca, Michoacan and Guerrero are 
influenced in a similar way by the southern winds. 

The snow area lies more or less at 4,500 meters 
above sea level, but light snowfalls occur also on the 
tropic plateau. 

The temperatures in the temperate and cold zones 
are subject to great variations, there being a great 
difference between night and day temperatures and 
those in the sun and in the shade. 

Very little changes occur in the temperature of 
the tropical zone, with the exception of that caused 
by the north winds. 

The healthiest and most agreeable climate is on 
the central highland; then it becomes gradually less 
healthy towards the south, especially along the coast. 

Further details concerning the different States are 
found in the following pages. 


AGUASCALIENTES 


Climate.—The State enjoys throughout an almost 
uniform climate, as there is a very slight difference 
in location and altitude between its various sections. 
Usually the climate is mild, the average temperature 
being 17 degrees Centigrade. Its mountain system 
is not very extensive or very high, so that this does 
not lead to great diversity of climate. 

Rainfall.—The sky of Aguascalientes precipitates 
a fair amount of rain and the non-irrigated crops 
are generally successful. ‘The rains are regular and 


370 The Republic of Mextco 


fall between June and September, there being a mean 
annual rainfall of 460 millimeters. 

Sierras ——The principal mountain ranges of the 
State are those of Calvillo, Asientos and Tepezala, 
none of the mountains exceeding 2,200 meters above 
sea level. The City of Aguascalientes is 1,908 
meters above sea level. 

Rivers——There are only two rivers: the Aguas- 
calientes, which rises in the “Ojos Termales” quite 
near to the Capital, and the Calvillo. ‘The first 
mentioned empties itself into the Santiago, or To- 
lolotlan, and the second is a tributary of the Juchi- 
pila river which, coming from the State of Zaca- 
tecas, unites its water with those of the Bolanos 
river which in its turn is a confluent of the previously 
mentioned Santiago. Neither of these rivers is 
navigable, nor has either any waterfalls of interest, 
though, of course, some could be formed for the 
purpose of obtaining electric power, especially on 
the Calvillo river. ‘There are some small streams, 
such as the Asientos, Refugio and others. 


BAJA CALIFORNIA 


Climate.—An excessively hot climate prevails in 
the Territory of Baja California. The mean an- 
nual temperature is 36 degrees Centigrade, almost 
uniformly in the whole Territory. There are parts, 
as the famous desert of Yuma, where it is still 
warmer, especially due to the fact that this section 
lies in a depression of a lower level than the ocean, 
being completely dry and hot. 

Rainfall_—Rain is very infrequent in this country, 
the mean yearly precipitation being about 120 mil- 
limeters. 


i --) a On 


The Republic of Mexico 377 


Sierras.—Sierras extend all along the coast of the 
Peninsula, being quite low as a rule, since nowhere 
does the altitude exceed 600 meters above sea level. 
Towards the central part of Baja California there 
is a volcanic region, the principal crater of which ts 
located in the volcano of Las Virgines, the highest 
spot of these sierras, at about 800 meters above sea 
level. 

Rivers—Lagoons.—The rivers which carry a 
regular quantity of water are: Tijuana, San Rafael, 
San Telmo and Santo Domingo. 

The laguna Salada (the Salt Lagoon) is the only 
one worth mentioning. The Colorado river crosses 
a small portion of the Peninsula, the territory it 
irrigates being known under the name of Valle 
Nacional, already fit for agriculture, due to the 
gigantic irrigation works built on that river. 


CAMPECHE 


Climate.—The climate in the State of Campeche 
is dry and hot during the dry season, and mild dur- 
ing the winter months. The average temperature 
during the year is 25.5 degrees Centigrade. 

Rainfall—The rainy season begins in June and 
ends in October; the average yearly rainfall reaches 
807.2 millimeters. The north wind begins to blow 
in October, accompanied generally by drizzle, last- 
ing to the beginning of February. 

Sierras —The orography of the State shows that 
the ranges of hills which cross its territory are spurs 
of the Sierra Madre, one ending near Tecax in the 
State of Yucatan, and the other in the District of 
Los Chenes in this State. The altitude of these hills 
varies between 40 and 50 meters above sea level. 


378 The Republic of Mexico 


Rivers—Lagoons.—The hydrography of the 
country is interesting only in the District of El 
Carmen, where the rivers Palizada, Mamantel, 
Candelaria and others of less importance, a number 
of lagoons and springs fertilize the soil. In the 
District of Champoton there is the river of the same 
name, renowned since the time of the Spanish Con- 
quest, for at the mouth of this river the Conqueror 
Hernando de Cordova fought the famous battle, 
during which he lost his life in a manner known in 
Mexican history under the name of ‘“‘Mala Muerte” 
(bad death). Natural lagoons or large ponds are 
found everywhere in the State, some of these drying 
out during the summer or dry season of the year, 
while others have water all the year round. In the 
lowest parts of the valleys there is a number of 
peculiar sinks, where the waters from all around 
gather and disappear noisily under the ground as 
through a funnel, then emerging at low places near 
the coast. Along the seacoast a good many estu- 
aries are formed by the ocean, frequented by all 
kinds of sea birds. 

The whole coast of Campeche offers most pic- 
turesque views. Among the marvels of Nature we 
mention the wonderful grotto of Xtacumbil-Xunaan, 
in the District of Los Chenes and described by the 
Explorer Stephens. From the entrance of the grotto 
to where water is found there is a distance of 1,400 
feet. The perpendicular depth of the water is 500 
feet. The grotto has seven ponds of drinkable 
water and most wonderful columns of stalactite. 
The beauties of the river Candelaria in the District 
of El Carmen, captivate the traveler and tourist; 
this river has many waterfalls which could be uti- 
lized for industrial purposes. 





The Republic of Mexico 379 
CHIAPAS 


Climate.—The prevailing climate in the State is 
the torrid, it being at times extremely hot on the 
coast and in the famous desert of Lacandon. The 
mean average temperature is 18 degrees Centigrade. 

Rainfall—The rains which are abundant and 
fall throughout practically the entire year yield an 
average precipitation of 2,000 to 2,800 millimeters. 
The rains fall from May to October. 

Sierras——The mountains which cross the State 
come from the “‘Nudo de los Altos” (high knots) in 
Guatemala, Central America, and where they enter 
Chiapas territory they have a height of 2,500 
meters, the height gradually becoming less until in 
the Isthmus of Tehuantepec they are not higher 
than 250 meters above sea level. ‘The principal 
sierra is known by the name of the ‘Sierra Madre 
del Sur,” and also by those of “Sierra de Chiapas”’ 
or ‘Sierrita.’’ The most precipitous mountain, an 
almost inaccessible one, is that of Hucitepec, where 
the peak of the same name rises to a height of 
2,717 meters; the others are: the ‘‘Cerro de Ixbul,”’ 
which rises nearly 3,000 meters; ‘“Izontehuite,”’ 
2,858 meters; Niquivel, 2,753 meters; Tacana, 
4,057 meters; Santa Isabel, with a height of nearly 
5,000 meters. The Sierra of Cuchumatanes is an- 
other of the mountain ranges which traverses a small 
portion of the State. 

Rivers—The large rivers of Tabasco, the Gri- 
jalva and the Usumacinta, take their rise in Chiapas 
or at least are joined by their chief confluents there, 
though their true origin is in the Territory of the 
Republic of Guatemala in the Sierras of Verapaz 
and Nudo de los Altos. The principal rivers are: 


380 The Republic of Mexico 


Usumacinta, navigable for more than 100 kilo- 
meters within the State of Chiapas, with its tribu- 
taries, the Chixoy, the Rio de la Pasion, San Pedro, 
Lacanjan, Cristalino, Cedro, Budsijah, Chocoljah, 
Chacamas, Istelija, Bascan, Tulija, Michol, La Sole- 
dad, Tzaconaja, Grande, Jatate, Santa Cruz, San 
Gregorio, Chejal, Blanco, Cuilco, Concordia, Do- 
rado, Escalera, Santo Domingo, Tres Picos, Tablon. 
Into the Mezcalapa river, which later on in Tabasco 
territory is called the Grijalva, are emptied the fol- 
lowing rivers: Suchiapa, Sabina, Chiquito, Chiapa 
(which goes through Tuxtla), Santa Lucia, Jiquip- 
ilas, Zintalapa, Rio de la Venta, Totopac, Yomono, 
Tzinbacho, Santa Monica, Platanar, and Vamoapa. 
It is a vast network of rivers, as it is very difficult 
to distinguish which are the tributaries of the Gri- 
jalva or of the Usumacinta near the point where 
they meet. Numerous rivers flow towards the 
Pacific Ocean which are all of the nature of torrents, 
forming various waterfalls as they descend rapidly 
to the sea from the steep heights of the Sierra 
Madre del Sur. Those which are worthy of men- 
tion are the Suchiate, which forms the boundary 
of Mexico with Guatemala, the Lacandon, and 
the Tonala. The others are less important. As 
in the State of Tabasco, the rivers form various 
lakes. 

The waterfalls on the rivers which empty them- 
selves into the Pacific Ocean can be used for the 
generation of power, a matter which has been totally 
neglected up to now. It would be of great advan- 
tage at present for the lighting of the cities of 
Chiapas, for the establishment of factories oper- 
ated by electric power, and, especially, for the cre- 
ation of light electric tramways, which we think will 


The Republic of Mexico 5ST 


have to be the traffic means adopted by districts in 
which the soil is possibly not firm enough to allow of 
the passage of the heavy trains of the Pan-American 
Railroad. 

Archaeological Ruins —The most notable ruins 
are at Palenque, the ancient headquarters of the 
Maya Quiche race and believed to have been the 
most popular center of those peoples. They are 
pyramids crowned with palaces of heavy construc- 
tion, and worth a visit; the Indians called these 
pyramids “‘cues.”” At Chilon there are ruins of edi- 
fices of Mayan origin. 


CHIHUAHUA 


Climate —The climate of Chihuahua is on the 
whole dry and healthy. In its immense unprotected 
plains it is very hot in the summer and very 
cold during the winter months. In the winter 
snowing is not a rare occurrence in the cities of 
Chihuahua. 

The mean temperature during the year is 10 de- 
grees Centigrade. 

Rainfall—The rainy season in this State lasts 
generally from June to September, the average 
yearly precipitation being less than 50 millimeters 
in the section called the Bolson, of 260 millimeters 
in the central valleys and 400 millimeters in the 
mountains. 

Sierras —The “Sierra Madre Occidental’’ crosses 
the State where it has its highest peaks, many coun- 
terforts, and a multitude of deep valleys and can- 
yons. The principal mountain chains are: the Sierra 
of Tarahumara, the Sierra of Parral, those of Jim- 
enez, Rosario, Madera, Bachimba, Escalon, Casas 


382 The Republic of Mexico 


Grandes, the highest peaks being those of the Jesus 
Maria and the Tabasotes mountains. In the desert 
region there are sand dunes known under the name 
of ‘‘Medanos de Samalayuca,”’ the most barren and 
desolate section of the State, where absolutely noth- 
ing grows. 

Rivers—Lakes—Lagoons.—The principal rivers 
of the State are: the Conchos, into which flow all the 
rivers the waters of which go to the Rio Bravo del 
Norte. The confluents of this river are: the Flor- 
_ ido, formed by the rivers Parral, Valle, Primero, 
Concepcion, Encantado, etc. The other rivers that 
form the Conchos are: the Chuviscar, Sacramento, 
San Pedro, Carretas, Cusihuiriachic, Nonoava, Te- 
corichic, San Juan, Los Gallos. In this State rise 
several of rivers that empty themselves in the Pacific 
Ocean, such as the Papigochic, the Fuerte river and 
others. 

The central section of the State is crossed by three 
rivers: Casas Grandes, El Carmen and El Santa 
Maria emptying themselves into the lagoons of 
Guzman, Santa Maria and Patos, enclosing a valley, 
where agriculture could be easily developed. 

Near the center of the State there is the extensive 
lagoon of Los Mexicanos, and near Camargo the 
gigantic water dam of the Conchos river, called the 
lake of Conchos. Several similar lakes could be 
constructed for irrigation purposes, utilizing several 
streams, some of which are medicinal, such as the 
stream of the El Salado which contains Vichy salts, 
the Jabali and others. On the banks of the Conchos 
lake is located the electric power plant, not as large 
as that of Necaxa but larger than any other in the 
country; it provides electric light and power to the 
city of Chihuahua. In the lake which is very beauti- 


The Republic of Mexico 383 


ful there are several islands, such as E] Alamo, La 
Herradura, Josefina and others. Steamers ply 
across this lake. 

Among the rivers of the State the Conchos is 
navigable for a distance of several hundred kilo- 
meters. 

Most of the rivers have waterfalls, none of which 
have been utilized up to the present time, since all 
the electric power in the State is obtained from the 
Conchos lake. ‘This does not mean to say that the 
other waters could not be utilized, especially those 
of the Sierra Madre. 

Archaeological Ruins—In the district of Casas 
Grandes there are ruins left by former inhabitants 
of this section of the country (the Toltecan In- 
dians) who possessed a somewhat higher civilization 
than that of most of the tribes of the north. The 
tribes that constructed these ruins are called “Indios 
Pueblos.” ‘They constructed houses with terraces 
of four and more stories, in the form of forts which 
served as dwelling houses as well as places of de- 
fense against the attacks of the Apache and Co- 
manche Indians of the region, who were feared on 
account of their bravery and cruelty. Historians 
believe that in this State was situated the famous 
“Chicomostoc,” described in the native codices as 
the parting place of the Seven Nahuatlac Tribes 
that, after a migration of three hundred years, pop- 
ulated the Valley of Mexico. 

At Moctezuma there is a hill covered with ruins 
of fortifications composed of circular concentric 
rings built of stone; on the slope of the hill there 
are remains of fortified works and of a very ancient 
town. The rocks show hieroglyphic inscriptions and 
the head of an idol. 


384 The Republic of Mexico 
COAHUILA 


Climate.—The climate of the State of Coahuila 
varies greatly according to the different sections of 
the State. It is very cold, but at the same time very 
healthy in Saltillo and in the places situated in the 
Sierra Madre Oriental (the eastern mountain 
range), branches of which are the Sierras del Car- 
men and La Paila; cold also prevails in Sierra 
Moyjada, that is in the western section of the State. 
The climate is very hot in the Bolson region, in 
Monclava, Cuatro Cienegas, Piedras Negras and 
along the tributaries of the Bravo river. 

In the first-named section (Saltillo, Ramos Arispe, 
Sierra Mojada, etc.) the mean annual temperature 
is never higher than 12 degrees Centigrade. It is of 
30 degrees on the average in the other region. 

Rainfall_——tThere is sufficient rainfall in the cold 
regions, lasting from June to September, and per- 
mitting the so-called “‘secano” (dry) planting in the 
farms of the eastern and northeastern sections of 
the State. Rain is a rare occurrence in the Bolson 
region. ‘The mean annual precipitation in the ori- 
ental section of the State is about 300 millimeters; 
it is extremely insufficient in the Bolson region. 

Sierras ——The Sierra Madre Oriental penetrates 
into the State of Coahuila; its ridges are higher than 
those in the States of Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas, etc. 
Worthy of special mention are the peaks of Pico 
Esterea, near the border line of the United States. 
The Sierras of La Paila, El Carmen and the Sierra 
Mojada have altitudes of more than 2,300 meters 
above sea level. 

One of the most beautiful valleys of the State is 
that of Ramos Arispe, very near to the City of 





The Republic of Mexico 385 


Saltillo, and the famous canyon which leads to 
Cienega de Flores, where there is a waterfall which 
could very well be utilized for the generation of 
electric power. 

The Valley of Parras is very beautiful, and there 
are many places worth while seeing, even in the 
barren region of the Bolson de Mapimi, where the 
dreary uniformity is at times interrupted by sierras, 
such as that of El Muovano, into which excursions 
are made during the hunting season. 

Rivers—Lagoons.—The principal rivers of the 
State are: the Nazas which comes from the State 
of Durango, carrying plenty of water only during 
the floods caused by the torrential rains in the sierras 
of Santiago Papasquiaro. The Aguanavol river 
rises in the State of Zacatecas, penetrating into the 
State of Durango at San Juan de Guadalupe, whence 
it flows into the State of Coahuila. Along this 
river there is a good cotton belt. ‘The rivers Salado, 
San Juan and Sabinas rise in the State of Coahuila 
and empty themselves into the river Bravo del 
Norte. 

None of the rivers of this State are navigable, 
with the exception of the river Bravo which forms 
the border line between the State of Coahuila and 
the United States; it carries just enough water to 
float canoes and pontoons. Larger vessels ply near 
the mouth of the Bravo in the Gulf of Mexico, in 
the State of Tamaulipas. 

There are two large lagoons in this State: that of 
Arras, into which flow the streams of the Aguanaval, 
and of the Mayran or El Muerto, in the center of 
the Bolson region, which receives also the overflow 
from the Nazas river, and the occasional streams 
which come from the solitary sierras of the desert. 


380 The Republic of Mexico 


None of the rivers named has any waterfall worth 
mentioning. There is, however, one place in Cienega 
de Flores, where a waterfall could be utilized for 
the production of electric power. 


CoLIMA 


Climate.—The climate is very hot in the entire 
State, the average temperature being, with little 
variation, 27 degrees Centigrade. 

Rainfall—The regular rainy season lasts from 
June to October, the average quantity of rainfall 
being 935 millimeters, that is in the central section 
of the State, for it rains a little more along the 
coast and a little less in the northern region. 

Sierras-—On the border line of the State of 
Colima with the States of Michoacan and Jalisco the 
great mountainous chains of the Sierra Madre de 
Sur (the southern mountain range) come together, 
after crossing the States of Oaxaca, Guerrero and 
the southern section of Michoacan, and the so-called 
Volcanic Axis of Mexico, which, starting from the 
Volcano of Colima enters the State of Michoacan 
under the names of Sierras of Jiquilpan, Maravatio, 
Zitacuaro, etc., joining the Sierra Madre Oriental 
at the famous peak of Orizaba. The section of the 
State of Colima where all these mountain chains 
unite, is very abrupt, giving rise to large deep val- 
leys, such as those of Atentique, Bateas, etc. The 
various mountain spurs which cross the State go by 
the names of the region which they traverse. The 
most notable mountains are the Nevado of Colima 
at 4,304 meters above sea level, and the Volcano 
of Colima, at 3,386 meters. 

Rivers—Lagoons.—The principal rivers are: the 





The Republic of Mexico | 387 


Coahuayana, on the border line of the State of 
Michoacan, whose tributaries are the Tuxpan, the 
Armeria, navigable to the extent of about 25 kilo- 
meters and more, with the aid of some canalization 
works; the Cohuayana, also navigable to the extent 
of 30 kilometers. The other rivers are of small 
importance. The Cohuayana river which rises in a 
very broken region, has numerous waterfalls which 
could be utilized for the production of electric power 
for the benefit of the entire State and for the estab- 
lishment of electric railway lines between the city of 
Colima and the port of Manzanillo and along the 
lagoon of Cuyutlan. This lagoon is navigable and 
has an area of 60 square kilometers. 

Archaeological Ruins.—Ruins of edifices and sep- 
ulchres are found at a point called Salagua in the 
Bay of Manzanillo. They are remnants of Taras- 
can civilization. Similar ruins exist at Tuxpan, also 
of Tarascan origin. 


DIsTRITO FEDERAL 


Climate.—The climate of the Federal District is 
cold but healthy and agreeable, the mean annual tem- 
perature being about 12 degrees Centigrade. 

Rainfall—tThe regular rainy season lasts from 
May to September, but it rains some during the rest 
of the year as well, the average yearly rainfall reach- 
ing about 560 millimeters. 

Sierras —There are many mountains in the Fed- 
eral District, the most important of which are: the 
Ajusco, with its summit of the same name, 3,951 
meters high; the Xitle, of 3,100 meters; El Judio, 
of 3,605 meters; Pico del Aguila, of 3,960 meters; 
the Maxtlacatepec, of 3,625 meters; the Malacate- 


388 The Republic of Mexico 


pec, of 4,096 meters; the Quiepil, of 4,088 meters; 
the Cerro Gordo, of 3,000 meters; the Tuxtepec, of 
3,098 meters; the Nepanapa, of 3,280 meters, and 
many others. 

The mountain ridges in the Federal District are 
of volcanic nature, the most important of them being 
those of San Angel, Xitle, Venta, Cerro Pelado, 
Chichinautzin. The peaks of the mountain of 
Las Cruces are seen on the west side of the 
City of Mexico, the wonderful panorama of 
which is enhanced by the view of the Popocate- 
petl and the Ixtaccihuatl mountains, in the State of 
Puebla. 

Rivers—Lakes.—The rivers in the Federal Dis- 
trict are nothing but streams which carry a good 
deal of water after the heavy rains. Those best 
known are the rivers San Angel, La Piedad, El 
Consulado. 

The District has several lakes: the lake of Xochi- 
milco, with its arm extending east of Tlahuac, where 
it joins the Texcoco lake, a large portion of which is 
drained; the lake of San Cristobal and a few lagoons 
of sporadic character, appearing only during the 
rainy season. In the vicinity of Xochimilco and 
Ixtacalco the lake has been filled in and turned into 
lawns which are called ‘“‘chinampas’”’; they are very 
well cultivated and supply most of the vegetables 
consumed in the Federal District. Beyond a point 
called Tlahuac these lakes are navigated by means of 
small canoes and flat boats, as are also the various 
canals. 


DURANGO 


Climate-—The climate in this State is uniform 
and mild. On the plains in the center of the State, 


The Republic of Mexico 389 


the temperature averages 15 degrees Centigrade; in 
the Sierra it is 10 degrees, and 25 degrees in the big 
flats of the Bolson region. 

Rainfall_——The rains are plentiful and regular in 
the large plateaus of the Sierra Madre; it rains with 
regularity in the valleys in the central section of the 
State (Santiago Papasquiaro, Guadiana, Poanas, 
Suchil, etc.), while in the Bolson region it scarcely 
rains at all. The rainy season may be stated as last- 
ing from June to September. The mean precipita- 
tion is 550 millimeters. 

Sierras——The Sierra Madre traverses the State 
of Durango, its highest points being in Durango and 
its spurs and minor range towards the State of Sina- 
loa. It is known under various names, according to 
the places where it is located: Michis, Parrilla, Santa 
Elena, Rigistro, Mezquital, Pueblo Nuevo, San 
Dimas, Camarones, Papanton, Candela, San Fran- 
cisco, Ose, etc. The peaks of over 3,000 meters 
above sea level are: the Cerros of Papanton and 
Michis, in Suchil; Cerro Blanco and Cerro del Calvo, 
in Mexquital; Cerro Prieto and Huehuente (the 
latter has snow on its crest the whole year round), 
in San Dimas; Pico Helado de Muinera, and the 
Ventoso, Vasitos, Los Reyes, Bufa de Candela, in 
Santiago Papasquiaro, and the Bufa del Tacotin, 
Cerro del Papanton and the Cerro de Guanacevi in 
the same region. The average height of the Sierra 
Madre is 2,600 meters above sea level. 

Rivers.—The most noted rivers in the State are 
the following: the Nazas, which is the source of the 
water in the lagoon section and which at its rise is 
called the Palomas river; it receives the waters of 
several confluents, such as the Zape, Tepehuanes, 
Atotonilco, San Juan, etc. The volume of water 


390 The Republic of Mexico 


carried by this river is not large except when it rains 
in the Santiago Papasquiaro ranges or at the time 
when the heavy snowdrifts on these mountains thaw. 
The Tunal river rises in Tres Molinos, to the west 
of the City of Durango; it carries a fairly large and 
permanent body of water, which is considerably 
added to in the rainy season by the numerous streams 
emptying their waters into it. After it has received 
the waters of the Saucedo, Santiago, Bayacora, 
Poanas and Suchil rivers, it takes the name of the 
Mezquital river, flowing through the State of 
Nayarit under the name of the San Pedro and empty- 
ing itself into the Pacific Ocean at Bocas del Co- 
michin. The Humaya and Tamazula rivers form 
the Culiacan river in the State of Sinaloa; the Aqua- 
naval river rises in the State of Zacatecas and enters 
the State of Durango at various points of San Juan 
de Guadalupe. The other rivers are: The Chico 
or Acaponeta, the Baluarte, the Presidios, the 
Ventanas and others too numerous to mention. 
Of these rivers the Nazas and the Aguanaval 
empty their waters in the interior of the State; 
the others flow into the Pacific Ocean, none of 
them being navigable, at least within the limits of 
the State. 

There are many waterfalls, as all the rivers have 
their rise in the higher parts of the Sierra Madre 
and rush down to the valleys and ravines; those 
which could be utilized for the construction of elec- 
tric plants are the falls called the Salto, which has 
a height of 30 meters and a considerable volume of 
permanent water, so that there would be no need to 
construct dams. Such an electric plant could supply 
light and power to the city of Durango and the 
towns of Nombre de Dios, Poanas, La Constancia 


The Republic of Mexico 391 


and others. On the Tunal river a waterfall could 
be artificially created by damming the water near to 
the town of Durango, which could be put to the same 
uses as the above. | 

Archaeological Ruins —Among the ruins which 
are worth visiting and studying are those of Zape, 
the remains of the Tepehuana tribe, the most nuv- 
merous of those who at one time inhabited these 
regions; those of Tuitan, near the Soldado gorge, 
formed by the Sierras of Maica and La Brena. At 
Chalchihuites there are important ruins of a town of 
Toltecan origin. 


GUANAJUATO 


Climate—As for the climate, the State forms one 
region; the highest places such as Guanajuato, San 
Felipe, etc., can be considered as somewhat cold dur- 
ing the winter months. The mean temperature 
during the year is 18 degrees Centigrade, and 
the climate of the great valleys of El Bajio and 
Santiago is justly regarded as agreeable and 
healthy. | 

Rainfall—The rainy season lasts from June to 
September, its mean annual precipitation being 650 
millimeters. 

Sierras.—The principal sierras traverse the State: 
the Sierra Gorda which extends towards the north 
and the Sierra de Guanajuato crossing the heart of 
the territory. Both have spurs which are known 
under different names, according to the section of 
the country which they traverse, and which, together 
with the principal mountain ridges, enclose large 
valleys. The highest peaks are at an altitude of 
more than 3,000 meters above sea level. ‘The city 
of Guanajuato is situated in a glen completely sur- 


392 | The Republic of Mexico 


rounded by mountains. In this glen, not far from. 
the city, is the famous reservoir of La Olla, con- 
sidered by the people as a gift of Providence; it is 
of gigantic proportion and is a popular place of gath- 
ering for the townspeople. 

Rivers.—The State is watered by the following 
rivers: the Santa Maria which forms the border line 
between this State and that of San Luis Potosi; the 
Xichu, the Irapuato, the Guanajuato, the Turbio, 
the Lerma, the Queretaro, the La Laja and the 
Acambaro; all these are confluents of the Santiago 
which gathers all the waters from the western sec- 
tion of the Central Plateau. All these rivers could 
be made to serve irrigation purposes by the use of 
proper engineering works. 

None of these rivers are navigable within the 
limits of this State, though the Lerma river carries 
a considerable volume of water. 

As many of these rivers come down from high 
sierras, such as those of Guanajuato, the Sierra 
Gorda and the Sierra of Queretaro, there are many 
waterfalls which could easily be utilized for the pro- 
duction of electric energy. 

Archaeological Ruins.—In the environs of the 
town of Acambaro there is a hill on the side of which 
many archaeological objects are interred, belonging 
to Tarascan civilization. Near Apaceo there are 
sepulchres in which a rich farmer discovered a cloak 
made of plumes, and other objects of great interest 
and shedding additional importance on Aztecan 
civilization. Ruins of sepulchres exist on the haci- 
enda of Burras, remnants of Tarascan civilization. 
In the town of Leon there is a spring at the bottom 
of which lie idols and tripod earthen jars, belonging 
to the epoch of the Tarascans. 


The Republic of Mexico 393 
GUERRERO 


Climate.—The climate is warm in nearly all the 
sections of the State, but exceedingly hot on the 
coasts. In the higher regions, such as Taxco, it is 
temperate, with a tendency toward excessive heat. 
The mean annual temperature is 28 degrees Centi- 
grade. It never gets cold during the winter months, 
while during the summer the heat is unbearable. 

Rainfall—The rainy season lasts from May till 
October, the mean precipitation being 1,900 milli- 
meters. 

Sierras——The terrain of Guerrero is very moun- 
tainous, being traversed in its entire extension by the 
Sierra Madre del Sur (the main southern mountain 
range), proceeding from the State of Oaxaca. The 
different sierras are known by the name of the re- 
gions which they cross: the sierra of Ometepec, that 
of Tixtla, of Iguala, of Chilpancingo, of Tecpan, of 
Tlaxco, of Coyuca, etc.; they have peaks of great 
altitude. The “Puntas de la Tentacion” (the Temp- 
tation Peak) is 3,500 meters above sea level; the 
‘“‘Tetas de Coyuca,” 3,400 meters. Some of the less 
elevated sierras have historical significance, such as 
the Veladero, near Acapulco. 

Rivers.—The principal rivers of the State are: 
El Balsas, which waters the northern and central 
sections of the State and into which many of the 
other rivers and streams empty their waters; the 
river Tlapaneco, the Petatlan, the Atempa, the Ata- 
nango, the Tepecoacuilco, the Cocula, the Telolo- 
apan, the Alahuixtlan, the Yoyotla, the Ahuchitan, 
the Cotuca, the Cutzamala, the river Ometepec on 
the border of the State of Oaxaca, the Ayutla, the 
Atoyac, the Papagayo, etc. 


394 The Republic of Mexico 


Of these rivers only the Balsas is navigable in its 
terminal portion over a distance of more than 100 
kilometers, though it is not utilized for navigation 
to the extent it deserves to be. The other rivers are 
navigable only for vessels of little draught or flat- 
bottomed craft. There are waterfalls in all the 
rivers of the State; these could be utilized for the 
production of electric energy, at short distances from 
the towns. 


HIDALGO 


Climate-—The State has two regions: the level 
country, or ‘Llanos,’ which being high enjoys a 
temperate and agreeable climate; and the Huasteca 
region which has a torrid climate. The annual mean 
temperature is 14 degrees Centigrade in the former, 
and 20 degrees in the latter. 

Rainfall—The rains occur, as a rule, in the 
months of June to September, the rainfall being very 
unequal in different parts of the State; for instance, 
while in Pachuca it reaches 279 millimeters, it is 
1,251 in Zacualtipan. It rains a great deal in the 
towns situated along the banks of the large rivers 
Moctezuma, Tula, Amajaque and Huejutla, as also 
in the Tenango section, where not a few of 
the streams take their rise and later on empty 
their waters into the general mass of waters at 
Necaxa, where large water reservoirs have been 
constructed. 

Sierras—The mountain ranges which traverse the 
State are part of the Sierra Madre Oriental, and are 
generally low, although rugged. The mountains of 
Pachuca, Real del Monte, Sierra de Espana, Sierra 
de Tenango and others cover the entire State. Some 
of the mountain ranges are so rugged that the open- 





The Republic of Mexico 395 


ing of roads, such as that projected to Tampico, has 
been a serious engineering problem. 

Rivers—Lakes—Lagoons.—The rivers of the 
State are numerous, but we shall mention only the 
principal ones: Tula, Amajaque, Moctezuma, of 
which the San Juan, the Estorque, the Tequixquiac, 
the Cuautitlan and the Tepeji are tributaries. ‘The 
Mextitlan is a confluent of the Amajaque, and the 
Huazeazaloya forms the celebrated Regla cascade 
which we have already mentioned. Many streams 
take their rise in Hidalgo territory and by artificial 
means are made to follow a course different from the 
general course of the valley of the Panuco and empty 
themselves in the great basin of Necaxa; among 
these should be especially mentioned the Tenango 
river, diverted at first by means of a dam and then 
by a tunnel one kilometer long, toward the Necaxa 
river. 

There are several lakes; that of Nextitlan is very 
large and was for some time the draining point or 
interior basin of some of the streams in the State. 
Like the lakes of the State of Mexico, the Federal 
District and Michoacan, it is navigable by large and 
small canoes. In it, as in the beautiful Zirehuen 
lake, Michoacan, Xochimilco, Xaltocan and others, 
there are water plants, such as white lilies, also 
called “ninfa blanca’? (nymphaea alba), ‘“‘tule”’ 
(thifa angustifolia, syrpus lacustris), ‘“‘tulillo”’ 
(cyperus melanos tachys and eleocharis palustris), 
as well as the reed grass (arundo donax), all of 
which give a delightful appearance to the lakes and 
lagoons of the high valleys of the country. ‘The 
Apam and the Tecomulco lagoons are also in Hi- 
dalgo, having the same characteristics as far as their 
vegetation is concerned. 


390 The Republic of Mexico 


We cannot pass on to other subjects without em- 
phasizing the opportunity available for the construc- 
tion of a power plant at the Regla waterfall, for 
the supply of light and power to Tampico and other 
towns in the neighborhood at a comparatively small 
cost. 

Archaeological Ruins and Sights—The flats of 
Apam are celebrated for their magnificent views, in 
which the “‘pulque” producing plant, the ‘“maguey,”’ 
displays its well-known outlines. ‘The tunnel or 
canal of Tequixquiac which, crossing the mountain 
range of that name, joins the Tula river with all 
streams of the Valley of Mexico, from whence it 
flows into the Panuco, is partly located in the State 
of Hidalgo. The valleys of Tula, Tulancillo, Te- 
nango, Amajaque, Hejutla are very beautiful. ‘The 
Regla waterfall, one of the highest in the country, 
is located in this State, although up to the present 
no use has been made of it for the generation of 
power. The city of Tula was for a long time the 
headquarters of the Toltec people, one of the first 
which, originally from Huehuetlapalam, between the 
Gila and Colorado rivers, emigrated south. For 
this reason this place is considered of historical in- 
terest. Its physiography and the remains, such as 
they are (though the Toltecs did not construct any 
buildings of importance at this point) guide the 
ethnologist and the historiographer in their study 
of the traits of character of those Nahuatlan tribes 
who for many years preceded the seven tribes for- 
merly inhabiting the Valley of Mexico. There are, 
besides, places which, owing to the beauty of their — 
landscape could be utilized for the attraction of — 
tourists. ) 


Near Tula Hidalgo there is a hill called “El 





Phe Republic of Mexico | 397 


Tesoro” on which there are ruins of a town or vil- 
lage and specimens of hieroglyphics cut in the rocks: 
all of Toltecan civilization. 


JALIsco 


Climate——The general climate in this State is 
temperate, although there are diverse regions which 
differ in climatic conditions. In the south and west 
of the State the temperature reaches 27 degrees 
Centigrade, in the City of Guadalajara, 19 degrees, 
and in Colotlan, 16 degrees. 

Rainfall—The rainy season lasts from June to 
December, the mean annual precipitation being 1,020 
millimeters. 

Sierras——The State is very mountainous in the 
territory adjoining the States of Michoacan and 
Colima, where it possesses part of the mountains El 
Nevado of Colima and the. Volcano of Colima, the 
ravines of Atenquique, Beltran and others; then come 
several mountain chains known under the name of the 
sections of the State which they traverse, such as 
those of Sayula, Autlan, Mascota, Alvarez, Tama- 
zula, Tapalpa, Cocula, San Martin, Yahualica, etc., 
the terminus of them being within this State; the 
sierra of Ceboruco, with the volcano of this name 
and that of Sanganguey. Other sierras of the State 
are the Comanja, the Colotlan, the Bolanos, the 
Huejuquilla, etc. Here we may mention the valleys 
of the State: the most beautiful valley of Atemajac, 
in which the city of Guadalajara is located, the valley 
of the Bajio, parts of which correspond to the States 
of Guanajuato, Queretaro and Michoacan; then 
there are less important valleys, such as those of 
Magdalena, Zacoalco, Acatlan, Cocula, Verdia, etc. 


398 The Republic of Mextco 


Rivers—Lakes—Lagoons.—The principal rivers 
of the State are mostly part of the water system of 
the Santiago Tololotlan, which at its upper course 
goes by the name of Lerma. These rivers are: the 
Ayo Chico, the Zula, the Verde, the last being 
formed by the rivers Lagos, Encarnacion, Aguas- 
calientes, and Teocaltiche, the Juchipila, the Tlal- 
tenango, the Bolanos, the Colotlan, the last being 
formed in the State of Durango by the Verde river 
and the Barranca del Tabaco, and the San- 
tiago river which on the border line of the State 
of Nayarit is joined by the river Nechistiltic. In 
the southern section of the State there are the 
rivers Armerio and Cithuatlan which empty into 
the ocean in the State of Nayarit; furthermore, 
the rivers Ameca, Purificacion, San Nicolas, Tomat- 
lan, Tuito, Mascota, Atenguillo, Tuxcacuesco and 
Tuxpan. Of all these rivers only the Santiago is 
navigable over a certain length of its course for 
small craft, and near its mouth by vessels of larger 
draught. 

The lakes of the State are: the Chapala which is 
the most noteworthy and beautiful of all the lakes 
in the Republic, 86 kilometers long and 23 kilo- 
meters wide, having a splendid steamer service. At 
present this most beautiful lake is invaded by water 
lilies (eichornia crassipes), against which serious 
measures are being adopted. It is claimed that 
paper could very well be manufactured from this 
plant, eventually offering an excellent opportunity 
for an important industry. 

The Magadalena Lagoon, near the border line of 
the State of Nayarit, is a small basin, embedded 
within the table-lands of the Sierra Madre Oriental, 
offering wonderful sights; not less beautiful are the 





The Republic of Mexico 399 


lagoons of Zacoalco, Verdia, Cocula, Acatlan and 
others. 

All the rivers form waterfalls; but none of them 
is so notable as that on the Santiago river at a point 
called Juacatlan where it drops from a height of 25 
meters, carrying a large volume of water. ‘The 
rivers Bolanos, Juchipila, Nechistiltic form various 
falls, the practical utilizing of which would require 
certain engineering improvements. 

Archaeological Ruins.—Along the entire shores 
of the Chapala lake and in the Cumato hacienda a 
number of articles of different kinds have been 
found, relating to the Indian tribe of the Tarascans. 

Various objects and a little idol of solid gold, 
now at the National Museum of Mexico City, were 
found at Salinas de Zocoalco (Salt works of Zoco- 
alco), all of which belong to Tarascan civilization. 


MExIco 


Climate.—The State can be divided into two re- 
gions, the south which is in the warm section and 
the other in the Valley of Mexico, the temperate 
zone. Although the valley of Toluca is at a con- 
siderable elevation above the level of the sea, it may 
nevertheless be considered as belonging to the tem- 
perate zone, in spite of the fact that the temperature 
here sometimes reaches an extremely low point. The 
mean temperature in the valley of Toluca is about 
13 degrees Centigrade. 

Rainfall—The rainy season makes itself notice- 
able with regularity from June till September, the 
mean precipitation reaching 673 millimeters. 

Sierras —The State of Mexico is rather moun- 
tainous, some parts being very high. The mountain 


400 | The Republic of Mexico 


regions of Toluca, Ajusco, Nevada, Las Cruces, 
Monte Alto, Monte Bajo, Tepozatlan and Espana 
are among those worth mentioning; these form the 
principal and most beautiful valleys of the State. 
The highest peaks are the Popocatepetl, 5,462 
meters above sea level, and the Ixtaccihuatl, 5,382 
meters, both being situated on the border line of 
this State with the State of Puebla. Then there is 
the El Nevado de Toluca in the Toluca Valley with 
an altitude of 4,578 meters, the Ajusco in the moun- 
tain region of the same name and situated on the 
boundary line with the Federal District; other high 
peaks are the Tlaloc, Telepan, Sincoque, Xoloc, 
Paula, Cerro Gordo. 

These mountain regions, together with those of 
Sultepec and Zitacuaro in the south form three im- 
portant valleys; the Valley of Mexico, noted for its 
wonderful panorama, the Valley of Toluca, one of the 
highest in the country and rivaling that of Mexico 
in beauty, and the Bravo Valley in the south. All 
of these offer sights well worth seeing by tourists. 
The Volcano of the Nevado de Toluca presents in its 
higher portions some very attractive views among 
which is to be mentioned the marvelous lake in its 
main crater. The Ixtaccihuatl has the aspect of a 
white woman resting on her back. ‘The Popocate- 
petl, still active, is famous for its beauty. 

Rivers—Lakes.—The rivers of the State are: 
the Lerma in the valley of Toluca (called Santiago 
Tolotlan) ; the Bravo, irrigating a very productive 
soil, the Sultepec, the Temaxcaltepec and others. 
Numerous rivers, besides those mentioned, empty 
themselves into the different lakes of the State. | 

The lakes situated in the State of Mexico are © 
indeed very picturesque; Texcoco, the old Chichi- © 


The Republic of Mexico 4OI 


mecan Capital, which was famous for its baths dur- 
ing the times of Emperor Netzahualcoyotl, abounds 
in marvelous sights on the shore of the lake bearing 
the same name. The Texcoco lake is almost com- 
pletely drained by means of the great Desague Canal. 
The lake of Xochimilco has been converted in its 
larger portion into artificial meadows, called ‘‘chi- 
nampas,’’ and known to be very fertile. Then there 
is the lake of Zumpango, the lake of San Cristobal, 
the lake of Chalco, almost entirely drained, the 
Xaltocan lake and a few others of minor importance. 
All these lakes are rather large and navigable for 
canoes or flat boats which can carry more than fifty 
persons. In the Valley of Toluca most picturesque 
lakes and lagoons are to be found, as, for instance, 
that in the main crater of the Nevado Volcano, 
already mentioned. 

The rivers in the southern section of the State 
have waterfalls which can be exploited for the pro- 
duction of electric energy. 

Archaeological Ruins—Sights——Not far from 
Texcoco, on the way to Puebla, the attention of the 
traveler is drawn to the pyramids of San Juan Teo- 
tihuacan, visited by tourists and students of archae- 
ology. These ruins are remains of a Toltecan or 
Totonacan civilization which had existed in the Val- 
ley of Mexico centuries before the Nahuatlacan 
tribes inhabited that valley; these pyramids can very 
well be compared with the famous structures of 
Egypt. The ruins of the convent of Tepozotlan are 
also noted for their beauty, and the church is con- 
sidered a magnificent work of art. The structure of 
the Canal de Desague is likewise noteworthy; this 
applies also to the ancient canal of Hehuetuca, where 
a centuries-old tunnel can still be seen. 


4O2 The Republic of Mexico 


At Calixtlahuaca there are the ruins of a town 
which was built on a hill; in this hill objects of gold, 
silver, copper, crystal rock and amethysts have been 
found buried. At this same place, some years ago, 
a silver armor plate was discovered, with engrav- 
ings of eagle plumes, and alongside of this plate 
there was a golden diadem, all belonging to pre- 
Cortesian times. On the top of the hill there was 
also found an idol representing the body of a woman, 
the head being a skull crowned with small human 
skulls. All these relics of Matlancincan civilization 
are kept at the National Museum, City of Mexico. 

At Jilotepec there is the large base of a teocalli, 
on top of which a Catholic church has been erected. 
Other ruins found within the territory of this State, 
as well as of other States, are indicated and explained 
in an appendix at the end of this book. 


MICHOACAN | 


Climate.—The climate of the State can be divided 
into two zones: that of the Southern Plateau and 
that of the Central Plateau. The climate in most 
of the Central Plateau is mild and agreeable, with 
a tendency toward warm temperatures, the mean an- 
nual temperature being 18 degrees Centigrade. 
That of the Southern Plateau is extremely hot, the 
average being 30 degrees, and prevails in the region 
to the south of the Volcanic Axis of Mexico, formed 
by various mountain ranges. Rain is very abundant 
and falls nearly the whole year round, it being very 
easy in the Southern Plateau to obtain three crops 
per annum. 

Rainfall—The average yearly precipitation on 
the Central Plateau is 935 millimeters. ‘The months 





The Republic of Mexico 403 


during which it rains with greatest frequency and in 
largest quantity are from April to October. 

Sierras——The principal mountains of the State 
are: the Volcanic Axis (El Eje Volcanico), formed 
by the mountain ranges of Jiquilpen, Maravatio and 
Zitacuaro, consisting of very rugged sections, in 
which there are various volcanoes, such as the Pico 
de Tancitaro, El Tatambou (the first mentioned is 
3,365 meters high and the second 3,754 meters 
above sea level); the Jorullo volcano, located in a 
low section, and constituting the volcanic region 
known under the name of Los Hornitos, composed 
of a number of volcanoes rising only a few meters 
above the level of the ground. The Pico Helado 
de Quintos is fairly high. The State possesses in- 
numerable mountain ranges, full of precipices which 
have made the construction of railroads extremely 
difficult. 

Rivers—Lakes.—Of the numerous rivers of the 
State of Michoacan we mention the following: the 
Lerma, which separates it from the States of Guana- 
juato and Jalisco; the Zitacuaro which joins the 
Cutzamala, the latter uniting with the Balsas which 
forms the boundary line between the States of Mi- 
choacan and Guerrero; the latter part of this river 
is known under the name of Zacatula and enters the 
Pacific by several mouths. Several other rivers in 
Michoacan unite with the Las Balsas river, as, for 
example, the Tacambaro, the Tepalcatepec, the Cu- 
patitzio, the Rio del Marques and the Apatzingan. 
The Duero river empties itself into the Chapala lake. 
On the boundary line between the States of Mi- 
choacan and Colima there is the Cohuayana river 
which flows into the Pacific Ocean. 

Many of these rivers are large, and the Zacatula 


4O4 The Republic of Mexico 


is navigable for many kilometers for vessels of 
moderate draught. 

The lakes of Michoacan are famed for their 
beauty. First to be mentioned is the lake of Cha- 
pala, which belongs in part to this State and which 
is the favorite Spring resort of a number of families 
from the City of Mexico, Guadalajara, Morelia and 
other parts of the Republic. The views on this lake 
are delightful. The charming lake of Patzcuaro 
which was in former times the headquarters of the 
Tarasca tribe, is of some depth and is therefore 
navigable. In the center there is an island on which 
there is a small town called Janiche which subsists 
entirely by fishing. On the shores of Patzcuaro rise 
the ruins of the ancient Tarascan capital, Izintzun- 
tzan. The lake of Cuitceo is shallow and scarcely 
navigable. The Guadalajara Railroad runs along its 
shores, offering most attractive views. here are 
still other lakes in the State, such as the Tinguindin, 
the Tanguancicuaro, the Cotija, the Zipimeo, the 
La Guarachita and La Piedad. Among the various 
lagoons may be mentioned one in the neighborhood 
of Querendaro, which has good saltpans operated by 
the Compania de Salinas de Penon Blanco of San 
Luis Potosi. Both the lake of Chapala and that of 
Patzcuaro are navigable for many kilometers. a 

Waterfalls are plentiful in the State of Micho- 
acan, but we shall mention only those which could 
be utilized for generating power at small cost. There 
is first of all the beautiful waterfall of Zararacua on 
the Cupatitzio river, near Uruapan, and at which 
there is to be located an electric power plant which 
will give light and power to Morelia, Uruapan and 
other towns. The falls of Zirizicuaro, near the 
hacienda of this name and the Balsas carry a large 





The Republic of Mexico 4O5 


volume of water, although not to be compared with 
the Zararacua falls, but much superior to the cele- 
brated Necaxa waterfall. ‘The fall between Za- 
mora arid Villachuato is being utilized by an electric 
power plant which supplies power and light to 
Guanajuato, Zamora and other towns. Waterfalls 
can be constructed on many other rivers of the State. 

Archaeological Ruins —The ruins of ‘Tzintzun- 
tzan, the ancient capital of the Tarascan tribe, are 
well worth visiting. The Hornitos region, the small 
island on the Patacuaro lake and many other places 
in the State of Michoacan offer strikingly beautiful 
views. At Charan there are ruins of Tarascan build- 
ings. At Paracho there are remains of edifices and 
sepulchres, and near Patzcuaro quantities of diverse 
objects are buried in small sepulchres, all of which 
are of Tarascan origin. At Tanguanzicuaro, five 
leagues from the City of Zamora, Tarascan sepul- 
chres and ruins of buildings are found. 


MORELOS 


Climate.—A hot climate prevails in this State, so 
much so that at times it is almost unbearable, reach- 
ing an average of 28 degrees Centigrade. 

Rainfall—Rains are abundant and fall regularly 
from May to October. The average annual pre- 
cipitation is 2,600 millimeters. 

Sierras——This State is extremely mountainous, 
the principal sierras being those of Huizilac, Tlal- 
tizapan, Yautepec, Popocatepetl, Ajusco, Totocala. 
Some of the altitudes exceed 3,000 meters above sea 
level, as for example, the peaks of Ocoxchio (3,296 
meters), Cuahuatzalo (3,280 meters), Cerro de las 
Palomas (3,350 meters). ‘There are other high 


400 The Republic of Mexico 


summits such as the Cerro de la Media Luna, the 
Otlayucan, and others. 

The valleys worth mentioning are those of Cuer- 
navaca, one of the most beautiful valleys of Mexico, 
the valley of Cuautla, also exceedingly picturesque, 
and the valleys of Yuautepec and Plan de Amilpas. 
These valleys are frequently points to which excur- 
sions are made. 

There are wonderful places, especially in the 
vicinity of the city of Cuernavaca, in itself a garden- 
like region, well worth visiting by tourists. 

Another of the frequently visited places, consid- 
ered a marvel of Nature, is the Grotto of Cacahua- 
milpa: large galleries profusely adorned with stalac- 
tites and stalagmites, the artistic arrangement of the 
various sections, its size and its imperishable beauty 
excite the admiration of the learned as well as of the 
ignorant. 

Rivers—Lakes.—The rivers of the State carry a 
fairly large volume of water which in the open plains 
is utilized for the irrigation of sugar and rice plan- 
tations. ‘The rivers Yautepec, Cuautla and Tete- 
cala empty themselves into the principal river of the 
State, the Amacusac, the chief artery of Morelos. 

The State has two fairly large lakes, the Coate- 
telco and the Tequesquitengo. ‘The rivers and 
the lakes we have named are navigated by motor 
boats, canoes and barges which carry the cane to 
the sugar mills at a low cost. 

Since the large confluents of the Amacusac river 
come down from high sierras, they form numerous 
falls which can easily be enlarged by means of reser- 
voirs and utilized for the generation of electric 
power. It would be greatly advantageous to the 
State of Morelos to have its most important places 





The Republic of Mexico 407 


connected by electric railways, all the necessary 
power for which could be developed at the above 
waterfalls. The rivers Cuautla and Yautepec have 
also good waterfalls carrying a sufficient volume of 
water. The establishment of the industries of which 
we have made mention in another chapter would 
necessitate the utilizing of these falls for the produc- 
tion of electric power. 

All this will certainly be done as soon as industri- 
alists undertake the development of all the great 
natural resources of the State, instead of confining 
all their efforts, as is the case at present, to the pro- 
duction of sugar-cane. 

Archaeological Ruins —The following ruins are 
found in the State of Morelos: those of Xochicalco, 
at a distance of some twenty-four kilometers from the 
city of Cuernavaca, constructed on a hill which has a 
circumference of four kilometers. Immense ditches 
had been dug around this hill, thus creating a com- 
pletely isolated and inaccessible peak on which a mas- 
sive and rough palace was constructed of which there 
is one story left up today; tradition has it that there 
were originally five stories to the structure. The 
Pyramid of Tepoxtlan is another remnant of past 
civilizations, so remote that nothing is left to indi- 
cate their nature, characteristics and trends, except 
the ruins that are found in the State. It is hoped 
that all such remains will be studied in the future 
as the result of a stronger stimulus in the matter of 
archaeological excavations and investigations. Ruins 
of edifices belonging to the Aztec period are found 
at Atlacahualayan. At San Anton, a suburb of the 
city of Cuernavaca, there is a sculptured rock show- 
ing an alligator and four points. At the farm of 
Basoco, nearly within the limits of Cuernavaca, there 


408 The Republic of Mexico 


is a rock with a relief representing a standard, five 
darts and what seems to be the head of a tiger. 
Another rock near Cuernavaca shows the relief of 
an eagle, all of this being remains of ancient Aztec 
civilization. Rocks on which immense idols have 
been sculptured by the Aztecs are found at or near 
Yantepec. 


NAYARIT 


Climate.—A hot climate prevails along the coasts 
of this State, the temperature reaching an annual 
average of 28 degrees Centigrade. In the high re- 
gions, such as that of Santiago Ixcuintla and the 
sierras, the climate is temperate and even cold, with 
frequent snowing in the months of December, Janu- 
ary and February; in this region the mean temper- 
ature during the year is 10 degrees. 

Rainfall—The rains are quite regular in this 
State; they usually fall during the months from June 
to September, the mean annual precipitation being 
840 millimeters. 

Sierras——The Sierra Madre Occidental (the 
great western mountain chain) traverses the State 
from south to north, having several considerable 
spurs, such as the Sierra of Ceboruco, that of El 
Tigre, the Sierra of Nayarit, and the Sierra of Alica, 
notable in the history of Mexico as the stronghold 
during the wars of Independence, of Lozada, called 
the Tiger of Alica. Among the notable peaks are 
the Volcano of Ceboruco and the summit of Sangan- 
guey, both of which belong partly to the State of 
Jalisco. The sierras in this State reach an altitude 
varying from 2,500 to 2,600 meters above the level 
of the sea. 

The State offers wonderful sights, the most fam- 





The Republic of Mexico 409 


ous being the so-called ‘‘Puerto de Pimeras Guer- 
ras’ (Ports of the First Wars), located between 
the Sierra of Nayarit, belonging to this State, and 
that of Huazamota, in the State of Durango. 

Rivers.—The rivers of the State of Nayarit are: 
the Santiago or Tololotlan, navigable for some kilo- 
meters; the San Pedro river, called Tunal at its 
rise, and Mexquital in the State of Durango; also 
the river Acapone, called Rio Chico in the section 
belonging to the State of Durango. All these rivers 
carry a large body of water, being sufficiently deep 
up to within several kilometers from their mouths 
to permit navigation by small craft. 


NvueEvo LEON 


Climate.—A mild climate prevails in this State, 
although in some places, as, for instance, in the city 
of Monterrey, it is extremely cold in the winter, and 
unsufferably hot in the summer. ‘The climate is tem- 
perate in the towns of Linares, Lampazos and in 
other places. The mean annual temperature is 17 
degrees Centigrade. 

Rainfall—The rainy season lasts from June to 
September, the average precipitation during the year 
being 290 millimeters. 

Sierras.—The territory of Nuevo Leonis traversed 
in the direction of its greater extension by the Sierra 
Madre Oriental, the notable spurs of which are the 
sierras of La Iguana, Santa Clara and Papagallo. 
The principal peak is that of La Silla, not far from 
the city of Monterrey, which has an altitude of 
less than 3,000 meters above sea level. 

Rivers.—The rivers of this State are the follow- 
ing: the upper course of the Conchos river, the 


4IO The Republic of Mexico 


rivers San Juan, San Lorenzo, Potosi, Camacho, 
Linares, Pablito; then there are the streams Ane- 
gados, Pomona, Venadito, which, with the exception 
of the San Juan which flows into the Bravo river, 
are tributaries of the river Conchos, or of the San 
Fernando in the neighboring State of Tamaulipas. 
The rivers Salado, Sabinas, Pesqueria, Pilon, Sal- 
tillo, Palmar, Salinas and Tinajera empty themselves 
into the Bravo. 

A few lagoons of no importance exist only during 
the rainy season. None of the rivers we have men- 
tioned is navigable within the limits of this State. 

The waterfalls formed by some of the rivers 
which come down from the Sierra Madre Oriental 
could be utilized only by means of costly engineering 
works. 

Archaeological Ruins—Near Piedras Pintas in 
the steep rocks of the mountain there are stone 
images redating back to Tarascan civilization. 


OAXACA 


Climate.—The prevailing climate is a warm one, 
it being exceedingly hot in the Tehuantepec section, 
where the mean annual temperature is 27 degrees 
Centigrade. In the Valle de Oaxaca it is also warm, 
though the climate is much milder than in the coast 
section; the temperature averages about 17 degrees 
the year round. 

Rainfall—The rains usually begin in May of each 
year and end in September, the mean average pre- 
cipitation being 900 millimeters. 

Sierras —The State of Oaxaca is extremely moun- 
tainous; in this section the mountain system of Villa 
Alta rises from a single nucleus called, in the poetic 


—_ 





The Republic of Mexico AIT 


and complex language of the primitive inhabitants 
of that section, “Zempoatepetl,’’ meaning ‘‘twenty 
mountains’; this was the name by which they desig- 
nated this group of mountain ridges. The highest 
peak of this group, that is to say, the real ‘“‘Nudo 
del Zampoaltepetl,”’ is 3,400 meters above the level 
of the sea. From the crest of this peak the two 
seas can be seen; the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of 
Mexico. From there starts the Sierra Madre del 
Sur which extends to the State of Chiapas, becoming 
much lower before reaching the Isthmus of Tehu- 
antepec, then again rising gradually till it joins the 
“Nudo de los Altos” (the Knots of the Heights) 
or ‘“Nudo de Quetzaltenango” in the Republic of 
Guatemala. ‘Towards the north there stretches a 
chain of mountains which to a certain extent run 
parallel with the Gulf of Mexico and join the vol- 
canic central system at what is called the ‘Pico de 
Orizaba” (the Peak of Orizaba), in the State of 
Veracruz; on the West, there is a chain which is 
called ‘“‘the Sierra Madre del Sur” (southern main 
mountain chain) in the States of Oaxaca, Guer- 
rero and Michoacan, and ‘Sierra Madre Occi- 
dental” (western main mountain chain) from the 
State of Colima onwards; it is much loftier than 
the eastern chain, although not so steep. A large 
number of spurs emanate from this range within 
the State, of which may be mentioned the Mix- 
tecas mountains, those of Ixtlan, etc. Among the 
most notable peaks may be named the Cerro de 
la Culebra (the Peak of the Snake). To give a 
list of the various summits would be a laborious task 
which we do not think would be of any practical 
value. 

Rivers—Lakes—Lagoons.—Because of the nu- 


412 The Republic of Mextco 


merous mountains, there are a number of large 
rivers in Oaxaca, some of which flow into the Gulf 
of Mexico, while others flow into the Pacific Ocean. 
Those which flow down towards the Gulf of Mexico 
are, the large river Papaloapam, the San Juan 
(which finally becomes a tributary of the Papalo- 
apam itself) and the Coatzacoalcos, which empties 
its waters into the sea at Puerto Mexico. ‘Those 
which flow into the Papaloapam are: the Hondo 
river, the Rio de las Vueltas (the zigzagging river), 
the San Antonio, the Tehuacan, which comes from 
the State of Puebla, the Tonto, the Quiotepec, Trin- 
idad and La Lama; those which join the river 
Coatzacoalcos are the Chichihua, Almoloya, Citune, 
Bachina, Mocone (the latter two form the Malan- 
tango river), the Sarabia, Tortuguero, Jumuapa 


and the Xaltepec. The San Juan has numerous con- 


fluents. Ihe Tehuantepec river empties itself into 
the Pacific Ocean at the Bar of Ventosa. The rivers 
which join the Balsas river are: the Mixteco, which 
separates this State from the State of Puebla, the 
Mixtepec, the Juxtlahuaca and the Coixtlahuaca. 
Lastly there flow into the Pacific the Verde or Atoyac 
river, on which the city of Oaxaca is situated, and 
the Ometepec. 

There are a few lakes and lagoons in the upper 
basins formed by the mountain ranges; at San Pablo 
Guelatao there is a very beautiful lake and a number 
of lagoons, although some of the latter are very 
small. As far as this State is concerned, the rivers 
on the Pacific side are the only ones navigable by 
barges and small steamers. 

All the rivers form waterfalls little known up to 


the present, and which never have been made use of. © 


On the Rio Verde one or two falls especially could 





oe ee ee en ee a eT. ee 


The Republic of Mexico 413 


be utilized for furnishing power and light to the 
City of Oaxaca on a larger scale than is the case at 
the present time; the latter has an electric street 
and suburban car service. The rivers which flow 
towards Veracruz have good waterfalls, the Quiote- 
pec being one of those which has the largest number 
of such falls. 

The spinning and weaving mills, the smelting 
works and various other established industries, or 
industries to be’ established, would be greatly bene- 
fited by the use of electric power. 

Archaeological Ruins—Sights.—There 1s the Val- 
ley of Oaxaca or of Antequera, also called the Valle 
del Marques (the Marquis valley) in memory of 
the celebrated ‘‘conquistador’’ don Hernan Cortes, 
a knightly figure which would appear to have been 
taken out of a daring novel, and whose immense 
“marquisate’”’ estate was located in this neighbor- 
hood. At a time antedating these historic associa- 
tions, Oaxaca possessed a civilization which has al- 
ways attracted the attention of the historians. It 
was, so tradition says, colonized in pre-Cortesian 
days by Indians who had come from Tameachan, 
today called Tamaulipas. The first cities were 
founded in Teotitlan del Valle and Teotitlan del 
Camino, where the Capital Zaachilango was built, 
it being the place where the Emperors of the In- 
dians lived, up to the last one, during whose reign 
the territory was conquered. ‘The name of this 
emperor, around whom many of the beautiful legends 
of the Oaxacans have grown up, was Cisijoesa. At 
the same time a son of the latter, named Cosijopi, 
was emperor in Tututepec, today called Tehuante- 
pec (Tehuantepec, which in the vernacular, signifies 
“Tiger Mountain’). The famous ruins of Mitla, 


AI4 The Republic of Mexico 


near which grow the giant “‘pitahayos” (cerus varia- 
bilis), are located in this State. These ruins, which 
are attributed to “‘Palencanan”’ races, testify to the 
high stage of civilization attained by these pre- 
Cortesian peoples. There are also the Monte Alban 
ruins. One of the historic relics which is most 
esteemed by Mexicans, the house where don Benito 
Juarez, a very prominent figure in contemporary 
history, was born, is located in a town of Ixtlan, 
called San Pablo Guelatao, a section inhabited by 
the Tzapotec race. 

In this State there is an object which has attracted 
a great deal of attention and which may be con- 
sidered one of the marvels of Nature; we refer to 
the gigantic tree known by the name of Arbol de 
Santa Maria del Tule, which is said to be more than 
2,000 years old, still in perfect condition and with 
probabilities of living for many years more. Its 
scientific name is ‘‘taxiodum macromatum.” It ap- 
pears that the village where this tree has flourished 
so long (Santa Maria del Tule) took its name from 
the large quantity of “tule” (thipha dominguensis ) 
which grows in its lakes. 

At Cerro de Guingalo there are large ruins of 
Guavan civilization; ruins of sepulchres at Coixtla- 
huaca belonging to the Mixtecan period; ruins and 
sepulchres of the same origin at Cuicatlan; temples 
and sepulchres of Zapotecan origin at Etla; also at 
Huitzo; many sepulchres of Toltecan origin at Los 
Cues; many important ruins around Mitla belong- 
ing to Toltecan and Zapotecan civilization; ruins 
of a large Mixtecan town at Nochistlan; ruins of 
Tapotecan edifices at Ocotlan; very interesting ruins 
of Toltecan origin at Quitopec; other ruins of the 
same origin at San Carlos; ruins of a very ancient 





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The Republic of Mexico 4I5 


Mixtecan town at Tecomavaca; groups of temples 
and teocallis at Zachila, Cuilapa and Xoxo, also at 
Ginatlan, all of Zopotecan origin. 

The State possesses a most beautiful natural 
scenery, which enraptures most all tourists. 


PUEBLA 


Climate.—The State possesses diverse regions, in 
some of which an extremely hot climate prevails; 
in Chiautla the mean temperature during the year 
is 23 degrees Centigrade, and 13 degrees in the high 
table-lands of the State, which means to say that here 
the climate is temperate. 

Rainfall—The rainy season starts in June and 
endsin September. The average precipitation varies 
according to the regions: in the City of Puebla it 
reaches 815 millimeters; in Chignahuapan, 680 milli- 
meters, in the deep valley of the Necaxa it exceeds 
1,200 millimeters, and so on in other sections, such 
as the Mixtecas. 

Sierras——The sierras of the State are numerous 
and many of the spurs of the Zempoaltepetl of 
Oaxaca belong to them. The principal sierras are: 
the Sierra of Mixtecas towards the south, part of 
which belong to the State of Oaxaca; the Sierra of 
Zacapoaxtla, the Sierra of Tlaxco, the Sierra of 
Monumentos; the Sierra of the Nevada, on the 
border line of the State of Mexico. In this Sierra 
are located the famous mountains Popocatepetl and 
Ixtacihuatl, more than 5,000 meters above the level 
of the sea. In the Sierra of Tlaxco there is the 
Matlalcueyatl mountain, also called Malinche, on the 
sides of which arises the Atoyac river. This moun- 
tain reaches more than 4,000 meters above sea level. 


410 The Republic of Mexico 


Rivers—Lakes.——Numerous rivers water the 
State. The principal, though not the largest, is the 
Necaxa river which renders the greatest service to 
industry. This river has many tributaries, the prin- 
cipal of which is the Huauchinango which has a 
waterfall not yet utilized. In the neighboring State 
of Hidalgo the Necaxa, which formerly emptied its 
waters into the Panuco river, now flows into the 
Tenango, having been improved by means of dikes 
and a tunnel 2,000 meters long constructed by the 
powerful Necaxa Company. ‘The pond of the 
dammed-in waters, built in order to gather the neces- 
sary volume of water, occupies the space of three 
villages which the Company had had to buy: Necaxa, 
Patoltecoyo and San Miguel. The principal pond or 
lake is 37 meters deep and is frequently navigated 
by large motor barges. ‘The water is brought to 
the turbines by means of large steel tubes, at about 
440 meters below the curtains, in a large ravine. 

The Tuxpan river, as well as the Tecolutla, the 
main course of which is within the State of Vera- — 
cruz, rises in the State of Puebla, in the Sierra of 
Huauchinango. The Atoyac, the principal river of — 
the State, is formed by numerous streams rising at — 
the foot of the Matlalcueyatl of the Sierra of — 
Tlaxco; it runs through the valley of Puebla and ~ 
several of its towns. It carries water enough to — 
allow navigation by means of canoes and small 
motor boats, for a number of kilometers from the ~ 
City of Puebla. The rivers Acatlan, Xolochita, — 
Petlalcingo empty their waters into the Mixteco — 
river running along the border line of the States of 
Puebla and Oaxaca; all these rivers united are then ~ 
called the Mezcala river, navigable for small craft — 


over its entire course. The State has also the rivers — 





The Republic of Mexico 417 


Tehuacan, Molinos, Acatlan and Tlapaneco, the 
latter flowing along the border line of the State of 
Guerrero. 

Archaeological Ruins.—The following archae- 
ological ruins are found in this State: at Aguas- 
catlan there are different ruins the ethnological 
significance of which is not known. 

At Atlixco, in the hacienda of Concepcion, there 
is a sepulchre and the bases of a temple, represen- 
tative of the Toltec period. 

At Coxcatlan there is a monument known as 
Sansoanchi. Some curious visitors discovered in it an 
earthen jar containing finger rings, ear-rings, beads 
and idols, all of solid gold and exquisite workman- 
ship, and bearing marks of Toltec civilization. 

Representative of the same civilization are the 
platform and the bases of a temple and the ruins of 
various edifices in Cholula. 

Teocallis (that is, Mexican, or generally Aztec 
temples, built upon truncated pyramids) and sepul- 
chres are found in the hacienda of Guadalupe, in 
the District of Huejotzingo; they are representative - 
of Huejotzincan civilization. 

Diverse ruins characteristic of the Aztec civiliza- 
tion are found in Tecamachalco. To the same civili- 
zation belong the ruins of a city on the slope of the 
mountain, known under the name of “‘Old Tepeaca.”’ 
Several ruins at Tlacotepec are of Aztec origin. 

Remains of an ancient town at Zoquitlan are rep- 
resentative of Toltecan civilization. 


QuUERETARO 


Climate-—The climate of this State is identical 
with that of the State of Guanajuato. Both being 


4I8 The Republic of Mexico 


situated on the Central Plateau, on both sides of the 
watershed which divides the deep valleys of the 
rivers Panuco and Lerma, they enjoy the same mild 
climate, the same conditions of the soil and identical 
metereological phenomena. ‘The temperature of the 
section called Bajio is on the average 16 degrees 
Centigrade; that of the plains of Cazadero, al- 
though considered somewhat colder, is about the 
same. 

Rainfall—The regular rainy season lasts from 
June to September, the mean annual precipitation 
being about 640 millimeters. 

Sierras ——On its border line with the State of 
Guanajuato this State is traversed by the Sierra 
Gorda, which is the ridge dividing the above-named 
deep valleys. ‘This Sierra has several spurs, the 
sierras of Cadereyta, Toliman and Pinal, those of 
Queretaro, of Tequisquiapan, etc. ‘The principal 
summits reach an altitude of 3,000 meters above 
sea level. 

Rivers.—The rivers Estorax, Santa Maria, Toli- 
man, Huilmilpan carry their waters to the Panuco 
river; the Queretaro, crossing a number of ravines, 
flows into the Lerma river. None of these rivers 
is navigable. Waterfalls improved by engineering 
work could be built for the generation of electric 
power, since the rivers flow down the Sierra, pass- 
ing through narrow gorges which could be easily 
utilized. 

Archaeological Ruins ——At Pueblito, near Quer- 
etaro, a Catholic church has been built on the 
base of a teocalli which belongs to the Aztec civili- 
zation. 

At Ranas, Canoas, in the Sierra of Queretaro 
there are ruins of edifices of the Aztec period. 


aq 


‘ 





The Republic of Mexico 419 
QUINTANA Roo 


Climate.—The climate in the Territory of Quin- 
tana Roo is entirely tropical and consequently quite 
hot during the whole year, with the exception of the 
winter months; indeed the temperature drops con- 
siderably during the months of January, February, 
November and December under the influence of the 
Norther. The hottest months in the year are May, 
June, July and August. The average temperature 
is 26 degrees Centigrade. 

Rainfall—The months of June, July and August 
comprise the rainy season. ‘The average rainfall 
during the year reaches 808 millimeters. 

Sierras—The mountain range of the Sierra 
Madre enters the Quintana Roo Territory from 
Yucatan, District of Maxcanu, crossing it from the 
Northwest to the Southwest, and dividing the Ter- 
ritory into two equal parts. Nowhere is there an 
elevation higher than 300 meters. 

Rivers—The only rivers partly watering this 
Territory are the Rio Hondo (deep river) border- 
ing the British Colony of Belize and navigable for 
vessels up to 15 tons as far as a point called Las 
Bocas; then there is the Rio Azul (blue river) serv- 
ing as the border line between Quintana Roo and 
the Republic of Guatemala; it is shallow through- 
out its course. 

Archaeological Ruins—The ancient Maya ruins 
found in the Territory of Quintana Roo give splen- 
did testimony of the relatively high civilization of 
its original dwellers, dating as far back as five 
centuries. 

In a place called Chumul there are ruins of sev- 
eral edifices. The ruins of Tulum and El Meco are 


420 The Republic of Mexico 


found on the eastern coast. The ruins of El Meco 
represent the base of a temple built of stone and 
lime. At Elemax there are ruins of several buildings. 

On the island of Cozumel are the ruins of El 
Cedral, Punta Molas, Castillo del Real and Cinco 
Puertas. Unfortunately no roads lead to these 
sacred places of tradition and history, given over 
entirely to oblivion and an exuberant tropical 
vegetation. 


SAN Luis Poros! 


Climate—The State has a most diversified cli- 
mate: in the Huasteca section there is the torrid 
climate, in some parts almost unbearable, it being 
the cause of much sickness and of many diseases 
which are peculiar to this region; in the central val- 
leys or plains the climate is temperate; such is that 
of the beautiful city of San Luis Potosi. It is cold, 
and even excessively so, in the great valley of the 
Salado, where winter is severe, the inclemency of 
the weather being enhanced by the bareness of the 
western plains with their sparse and sickly vegeta- 
tion and an almost rocky soil. In the Huasteca region 
the temperature has a mean annual average of 
28 degrees Centigrade, in the center, 13 degrees, 
and in the Salado region 8 degrees. 

Rainfall—The rains are very abundant in the 
Huasteca section where the annual precipitation is 
not less than 600 millimeters, the rain falling prac- 
tically throughout the year, with slight irregularity. 
In the central valley it is normal, the rainy season 
lasting from June to September, with an average 
rainfall of 450 millimeters; in the Salado section it 
scarcely ever rains, except occasionally in the months 
of July and August. 


, 





——— 


The Republic of Mexico 421 


Sierras.—The State is crossed in its eastern por- 
tion by the Sierra Madre Oriental which, although 
rather low, is extremely broken. The State has in 
this section only two peaks, the Tancanhuitz ridge 
and that called Tamazunchale. In the center is the 
Sierra of Guadalcazar which is rather high. In 
Matehuala and Cedral the mountain peaks are of 
considerable elevation, and the road from Vanegas 
to Matehuala is celebrated for the precipices which 
are situated at the very foot of the railroad track. 
The average height of the mountains in the Huas- 
teca section is less than 2,000 meters; those in the 
center exceed 2,000 meters, and in Matehuala they 
exceed 3,000 meters. 

Rivers —There are numerous rivers in the State, 
of which we shall mention only the Santa Maria, 
the Moctezuma, the Rio Verde, the Tempaon, the 
Tamoan, the Huejutla, which join the Panuco, which 
is navigable near the boundary between the States 
of San Luis and Tamaulipas. The other rivers have 
a large body of water, but are only navigable by 
canoes and lighters. ‘The eastern section is well 
watered, although in the lower portion of the Huas- 
teca section the water is said to be unfit for drinking 
purposes. In the center, a large dam at Colimoto 
is planned; in San Luis there is the dam of Mez- 
quitio. ‘There are artesian wells on many estates: 
Gogorron has fourteen, Jesus Maria has five; Bledos 
two; La Pila two, and so on. 

The principal waterfalls in the State are: the 
Salto with a large body of permanent water over 
300 feet high, near the town of Ciudad del Maiz, 
and which would be sufficient to supply a much larger 
amount of electric energy than do the celebrated 
falls of Necaxa, serving San Luis, Tampico, Mon- 


422 The Republic of Mexico 


terrey, Aquascalientes, Saltillo, Zacatecas and many 
other towns. 

Sights.—The landscape is worthy of the interest 
of the tourist. The Salado district represents a 
vast and interminable, gray plain; with clouds of 
whitish dust imparting its color to the shrubs which 
thrive here miserably; here and there are little pools 
of brackish water. In the center enchanting land- 
scapes, cultivated flatlands, beautiful valleys. In 
the Huasteca section; luxuriant vegetation, the virgin 
forests, ravines covered with woods. Among the 
places the tourists should visit are the San Jose dam, 
in San Luis Potosi, at no very great distance from 
Morales, where are the blast furnaces of the San 
Luis foundry, in every respect worthy of the atten- 
tion of the tourist; the hacienda of Angostura; that 
of Gogorron with its fourteen splendid artesian 
wells; Santa Maria de Rio, on account of its beau- 
tiful views; the same refers to Rio Verde, Ciudad 
Fernandez and, in general, to all the towns of the 
eastern section of the State. Among the natural 
marvels we should mention EI Salto, in the imme- 
diate neighborhood of Ciudad del Maiz, and the 
‘‘Puente de Dios” (God’s Bridge) at the same place. 
The caves of Guadalcazor are worth visiting. 


SINALOA 


Climate.—This State has two different regions: 
the coast and the highlands bordering the Sierra 
Madre Occidental, the summits of which correspond 
to the State of Durango. The climate is hot along 
the coast, the average temperature during the year 
being 28 degrees Centigrade, and 19 degrees in the 
rest of the State. 





The Republic of Mexico 423 


Rainfall.—The rains are abundant: they last from 
June to September and yield a mean annual precipi- 
tation of 980 millimeters. 

Sierras.—Several of the spurs of the Sierra Madre 
reach the State of Sinaloa, being known under the 
name of the region they occupy, such as Rosario, 
Union, Cosala, etc. The highest plateau is that of 
Mesa de Las Hormigas. 

Rivers.—The principal rivers of the State are: 
the Fuerte, the Sinaloa, the Culican formed by the 
confluents of the rivers Humaya and the Tama- 
tchala or Tamazula, the Elota, the Piaxtla, the Ro- 
sario, the Altata, the Topolocampo, the Sacramento, 
the Baluarte, the Presidios, the Las Canas. Nearly 
all these rivers are navigable to the extent of some 
kilometers, all having waterfalls which could be 
utilized for industrial purposes. 

Sights —The variety and beauty of the landscape 
observed from the roads which lead to the different 
towns and settlements of the State are really en- 
chanting, especially the landscapes called the ‘“‘cai- 
das”’ (falls), that is, those situated just between the 
ocean and the Sierra Madre, whence the far-off 
ocean can be seen. The port of Mazatlan is very 
beautiful, the point called “‘Las Olas Altas” being 
worth while visiting. 

There are no pre-Cortesian ruins in this State. 
It is said that where the town of Culiacan exists 
now, there was in ancient days the center of the 
Opatan tribe, which spread all over this State and 
that of Sonora; the place was then called Huicu- 
luacan, although some historians claim that the 
settlement’s name was Culuacan, later converted into 
Culiacan, and that the river of this name was then 
called Petatlan, on account of the huts being built 


424 The Republic of Mexico 


of mats or “‘petates.” It is said that at this point 
the Spanish Conqueror Nuno Beltran de Guzman 
divided his expeditionary army; one section continu- 
ing its march towards the Gulf of California, and 
two other sections following the two arms of the 
river Petatlan: the river Humaya and the Tama- 
tchala, today Tamazula. 


SONORA 


Climate-——The climate in the State is variable, 
warm and even hot along the southern coast and on 
the central and northwestern shores; it is temperate 
in the center of the State and cold in the Sierras. 
The mean temperature on the coasts is 29 degrees 
Centigrade, 19 degrees in the central regions, and 
10 degrees in the mountains. 

Rainfall—The regular rainy season lasts from 
June to September; the precipitation varies very 
much, for it rains a great deal in the sierras, where 
snowing is not a rare occurrence, and very little in 
the desert region of the northwest. Two hundred 
and eighty millimeters is about the average precipi- 
tation in this State. 

Sierras——The State is very mountainous in its 
eastern section, the central part possessing some im- 
portant spurs. The Sierra Madre Occidental is the 
principal watershed, spurs of which are the impor- 
tant sierras of Alamos, Ures, Moctezuma, Mag- 
dalena, Cananea, etc. ‘There are some high sum- 
mits such as the volcano of Babispe. 

Rivers——The principal rivers are: the Yaqui 
which carries plenty of water and is navigable for 
about 50 kilometers, as far as Torin; on the south- 
ern bank of this river a large canal has been built 








The Republic of Mexico 425 


by the Sonora and Sinaloa Irrigation Company; this 
canal extends over 67 kilometers, being 45 feet wide 
at the upper edge and 35 feet at the bottom, and 9 
feet deep. On the northern bank of this river an- 
other canal has been built, as large as the first, from 
which several other canals branch off, as for example, 
the Marcos Carrillo Canal; the Guamuchil Canal is 
as large as the others and waters a large area of 
irrigation land. The Yaqui river is navigable for 
good-sized vessels as far as the little town of Potam, 
35 kilometers from the seashore, and as far as 
Torin for sailing vessels of small draught. 

The river Mayo, which rises in the region of 
Pinos Altos and Yoquimbo in the State of Chihua- 
hua, runs in a steep bed as far as Conicarit; not 
before it reaches the hacienda of Tres Hermanos 
can its waters be utilized for irrigation purposes, 
but higher up a number of reservoirs have been 
built, such as those of Santa Barbara, Camoa, Tecia, 
Los Pobres, Navajoa, Rosales, Jupateco, Tiriaco- 
huaza, several canals starting from the river, as in 
the case of the Yaqui river, as, for example, the 
San Pedro Canal and the Independencia which water 
a large area of land. 

The other rivers are the Altar, the Magdalena, 
the Sonora, and a number of confluents of these 
and the first-named rivers. 

Sonora is probably the State that has best realized 
the necessity of irrigation, turning to good account 
its many rivers for that purpose. 

Since all these rivers rise in the high plateaus of 
the Sierra Madre Occidental, they form a number 
of waterfalls which are partly utilized. Many others 
could be artificially created by means of engineering 
works. 


420 The Republic of Mexico 


Sights ——The State has the most beautiful land- 
scape, especially in its mountainous sections. ‘here 
are no ruins in the State belonging to past civiliza- 
tions, although the regions of this State are near to 
those which are regarded as the land of origin of the 
Hueytlapanecan tribe that built the city of Huehue- 
tlapallan at the point of confluence of the rivers Gila 
and Colorado, whence they emigrated southwards. 
At Zahuaripa there are grottoes, the origin of which 
is not well known. 


TABASCO 


Climate-—The prevailing climate in the State, 
which is absolutely uniform is hot; it is not a healthy 
one, as malaria is endemic to the region, and epi- 
demics find a favorable place here. The mean aver- 
age temperature is 18 degrees Centigrade. 

Rainfall—Rain falls almost the entire year; pre- 
cipitation registers on the average from 2,000 to 
3,000 millimeters per annum. 

Sierras——There are no mountains in the State. 
A few hills found in this region of the Republic do 
not deserve attention. 

Rivers—Lakes.—The large rivers are the Usu- 
macinta and the Grijalva, into which almost every 
local river empties itself. The Palizada river has 
its origin in the State of Tabasco, and empties its 
waters in the State of Campeche. In fact, the nu- 
merous and important streams in this section and in 
the State of Chiapas become one river which sepa- 
rates into several currents at various points and 
unites again in others. We shall mention only the 
principal rivers of the State, for all told, these are 
more than 200: Usumacinta, Grijalva, San Pedro 
y San Pablo, Palizada, which flows into the Terminos 





The Republic of Mexico 427 


Lagoon in the State of Campeche; the following are 
confluents of the Usumacinta: the Cojinicuil, the 
Tepetitan, the Tulija, the Macuspana, the Chinal 
and the Butujil; the tributaries of the San Pedro y 
San Pablo are the Tintillo and the Chiquito; between 
these two rivers an immense island has been formed 
known as Isla de Chinal. The confluents of the 
Grijalva are the following: the rivers Almandra, 
Negro, Tacotalpa, Teapa, Pichucalco, Tepetate, Rio 
Viejo, Rio Gonzales, Chico, Gonzalez Nuevo, Cun- 
duacan, El Limon, Platanar. In what might be 
called its upper course, although in no part is it really 
so, the river Grijalva takes the name of the Mez- 
calapa. The Tonola river has for its tributaries the 
rivers Zanapa and Tanocehapa. We must refrain 
from mentioning more of these rivers; they form as 
a whole an admirable network of water highways, 
owing to which the State of Tabasco does not feel 
the need of railway lines, which would be difficult 
to construct, as the ground of Tabasco is not very 
firm. 

As may be supposed, the waters of so many 
rivers, all of them large, form numerous lakes. The 
principal lakes are Mexcoacan, Cupilco, Machona, 
Santa Ana. There are a few others of small 
importance. 

The rivers of Tabasco, unlike the majority of 
the rivers in the rest of the Republic, are navigable 
for very long distances; this is due not only to their 
large volume of water but also to the fact that they 
flow through a vast plain with very little fall, the soil 
being, as we have already stated, almost uniformly 
at an elevation of not more than 30 or 40 meters 
above the sea. The Usumacinta is navigable for 
more than 500 kilometers, and the Grijalva for a 


428 The Republic of Mexico 


few kilometers less. If we add to this the fact that 
the principal confluents are likewise navigable, 
readers will have an idea of the vastness of the 
Tabascan river system on which ply a number of 
small steamers. 

There are, as can be gathered from what we have 
stated, no waterfalls, and it would be difficult to 
create them by artificial means; for this reason, the 
natural current of the rivers, which is nowhere very 
strong, is all that could be relied upon for the pro- 
duction of electric power. 

Sights and Archaeological Ruins.—The whole of 
the State of Tabasco is one vast forest full of broad, 
full-flowing rivers, with beautiful scenery and an 
abundance of delightful views in the clearings of the 
forest or on the lagoons formed by the back waters 
of the rivers. The same may be said of the whole 
region. Asa place for excursions, there could be no 
better region than the State of Tabasco. 

At Comalcalco there are ruins of buildings belong- 
ing to Aztecan civilization. Near the port of Fron- 
tera there are ruins of teocallis, and at a distance 
of about two kilometers from the same place there 
is a large pyramid and the base of a teocalli, adorned 
with small bricks. Ethnologically this also belongs 
to the Aztec period. The large base of a teocalli 
denoting Mayan civilization, is found at Jonuta, on 
the bank of the Uzumacinta river. Various ruins of 
Aztec origin are found at Paraiso. At Tecolpa there 
are four bases of temples and other edifices of 
Mayan civilization. 


TAMAULIPAS 


Climate.—The climate prevailing in this State is 
very variable, although it should be uniform due to 





The Republic of Mexico 420 


the fact that the State is situated within the flatland 
near the ocean and that there are no great geograph- 
ical contrasts. On the whole the climate is hot, 
particularly so in Tampico and along the banks of 
the rivers that empty themselves into the Panuco; 
at times the heat is unbearable. It is also warm in 
the center of the State, in Ciudad Victoria, but not 
to the same degree as in the regions just named; it 
is even less so in the northern section of the State. 
At Tampico the temperature is, on an annual aver- 
age, 28 degrees Centigrade, 20 degrees in Ciudad 
Victoria and 18 degrees in the north. 
Rainfall—tThe regular rainy season lasts from 
June to September; precipitation is variable; in the 
south it reaches the average of 1,300 millimeters, 
600 millimeters in the center, and 260 millimeters 
in the flatlands of the northern section of the state. 
Sierras ——The State is traversed by the Sierra 
Madre Oriental, the principal heights of which are 
the Jaumave and the Maxiscaltzin mountains, the 
latter in the center of a large plain. 
The most notable valleys are those of Jaumave, 
Las Rusias, Santa Barbara and that of Palmillas. 
Rivers.—The rivers of this State are quite impor- 
tant. There is the Bravo river, navigable for 350 
kilometers, on which is situated the port of Mata- 
moros which is a port of entry; the river Conchas 
or San Fernando, into which flow the Cruillas, 
Arenas, Fresnos and the San Lorenzo rivers. ‘There 
are some streams in the State which flow directly 
into the ocean, such as the Chorreras, the Soldados, 
the “arroyo de la Mision” (the Mission stream), 
the Soto la Marina, formed by various rivers and 
streams, such as the Pilon, the Corona, Santa Lucia, 
Purificacion, Blanco, Angeles, Santa Engracia, or 


430 The Republic of Mexico 


Ciudad Victoria; towards the south, the rivers El 
Carrizal, the Tigre or Cachimba, the Barberena and 
the San Rafael stream empty their waters into the 
Madre Lagoon. The Soto la Marina river is navi- 
gable for 80 kilometers for vessels of ordinary 
draught. The river Panuco flows into the Gulf near 
the port of Tampico, this being situated not on the 
Gulf itself but on the lower portion of the river. 
The Tamesi river, which near the Gulf receives the 
Tampoan and other rivers, empties itself into the 
Panuco. 

Some of the rivers we have named offer certain 
facilities for the construction of artificial waterfalls, 
although it would be easier to utilize in this region 
the power generated in the State of San Luis Potosi, 
at a place called the Salto, near Ciudad del Maiz, 
or that which is obtained at the Cascada de Regla 
in the State of Hidalgo. This does not mean to say 
that there are no waterfalls on the rivers of this 
State, especially on their upper course, but that they 
are far less important. 

Archaeological Ruins.—This State has no inter- 
esting traces of ancient peoples, although tradition 
designates this region as the parting point of the 
Tzapotecan race which inhabited the State of Oax- 
aca, in seeming, in contradiction to the fact that the 
State is situated on the route followed by the Pa- 
lencan civilization. 


TLAXCALA 


Climate.—The climate of Tlaxcala is temperate 
and very agreeable, owing to the State being at a 
considerable elevation above the level of the sea, as 
it is located at a height of 1,800 meters. In its 
exposed valleys, such as Apam and Puebla, there 


The Republic of Mexico 431 


are extreme variations in the climate, and the cold 
weather is sharp. The mean annual temperature is 
16 degrees Centigrade. 

Rainfall—Rains fall from June to September, 
there being an average rainfall of about 800 milli- 
meters per annum. 

Sierras—The mountains in the State are: the 
Sierra of Tlaxco, in the South, with peaks 3,000 
meters above sea level; the Sierra of La Malinche 
in the center, which forms the divide for the three 
large valleys of Apam, Puebla, and Huamantla, and 
a few smaller ranges which unite to form the enclosed 
basin of the Valley of Huamantla, to which refer- 
ence has already been made. 

The valleys of the State are the three which we 
have just named. ‘They contain the most beautiful 
views, and there are many localities really well worth 
visiting. 

Rivers—Lagoons.—As regards rivers, they are 
mostly small, with the exception of the Zahuapan 
which empties itself into the Atoyac river. There 
is a lagoon, the Xonacuila, which is of fair size. 

The Zahuapan river has several waterfalls, though 
they are not very important. These could, however, 
be utilized to supply power for factories, sawmills, etc. 

Archaeological Ruins —Not many ancient ruins 
are found in this State. The City of Tlaxcala can- 
not be considered a ruin, but it serves to mark the 
place in which the Tlaxcaltec peoples lived. This 
people, having entirely broken off with the Aztecs, 
allied themselves with the Castilians upon the ar- 
rival of the latter, whom they helped to conquer 
the territory, thereby, of course, incurring the hatred 
of the natives, who always considered them traitors 
to their race. 


432 The Republic of Mexico 


At Contla ruins of edifices are found the ethno- 
logical significance of which has never been deter- 
mined. At Malinalco, in the district of Tenancingo, 
there are ruins of a temple and a hill called “Los 
Idolos” (the idols) and another hill by the name of 
Tozquihuac, all of Aztec origin. Near the City of 
Tlaxcala there are diverse ruins of Tlaxcaltecan 
civilization. 


VERACRUZ 


Climate.—The climate in this State varies greatly 
according to the different sections; it is temperate 
and agreeable in the regions of the towns of Orizaba, 
Cordoba, Jalapa, Perote, Teocelo, and others; it is 
hot, and even very hot during some months, in the 
City and port of Veracruz, in the section of San 
Andres JTuxtla, Alvarado, Tlacotalpam, Tuxpan, 
Minatlan, Papantla, etc. Along the coast the mean 
annual temperature is 26 degrees Centigrade, in the 
other regions, 16 degrees. 

Rainfall_—_It rains every month of the year, but 
the regular rainy season lasts from May to October, 
the average precipitation during the year being 2,700 
millimeters more or less. 

Sierras.— The mountainous system of the State of 
Veracruz is very complicated, so much so that the 
construction of railroads has been impeded because 
of serious engineering problems. But all these diff- 
culties have been conquered, and the railways con- 
necting the Gulf port with the interior of the Re- 
public cross the most wonderful bridges, such as the 
Maltrata and the Metlac bridges, and make use of 
other engineering wonders. 


| 


The principal mountain nucleus is the Sierra — 


Madre Oriental (the main eastern mountain chain), 


| 


7 


The Republic of Mexico 433 


the highest peaks of which are within the boundaries 
of this State: the Citlaltepetl or Cerro de la 
Estrella (the Star Mountain), also called Pico de 
Orizaba (Orizaba Peak), covered with perpetual 
snow, being the first one to be observed as one ap- 
proaches the country from the ocean side; it is 5,700 
meters above sea level; then there is the Cofre de 
Perote, a strangely formed mountain, called by the 
natives Naucampatepetl, which means “box or trunk 
mountain,” 4,089 meters above the level of the sea. 
The San Martin Mountain, in the volcanic sierra of 
the Tuxtlas, has a height of 1,500 meters above 
the sea, being the principal crater of the Tuxtla 
Volcano. ‘There are other important mountains or 
hills noted for their height or for the fact that on 
or near them petroleum wells are being exploited, as 
for example the Cerro Azul, the Cerro Viejo, the 
Carrizal, the Ayacahuitl, the Borrachas and others. 
Important also is the sierra of Zongolica on account 
of the richness of its flora. 
Rivers—Lakes—Lagoons.—The rivers of the 
State are: the Panuco on the border line of the 
State of Tamaulipas, navigable for a number of 
kilometers for vessels of considerable draught, and 
for small steamers as far as a little beyond Tama- 
zunchale in the State of San Luis Potosi. The Tuxtla 
river does not carry sufficient water to be of any 
service for navigation as far as steamers are con- 
cerned, but it has sufficient water to float barges and 
other flat-bottomed craft; the Tecolutla which rises 
in the Necaxa river the principal waterfall of which 
is utilized for the production of motive power and 
light; the Cazones river, smaller in volume than the 
first named; the Rio Blanco which rises on the 
flanks of the Orizaba peak, possessing a splendid 


434 The Republic of Mexico 


waterfall at Barrio Nuevo at present utilized for the 
production of power for the industries established 
in that region. The confluents of the Rio Blanco 
are: the Cuetzala, the Metlac, the San Miguel, the 
Orizaba, the Infiernillo, the Rio Blanco, the Soledad, 
the Azucena, the Xochiapa, the Colorado, the Cu- 
ichapa, the Paso Laja stream, the Pozuelo, the 
Tlalixcoyan, the San Antonio stream, the stream of 
San Cristobal, the Otapa, the stream of Urbina, 
the Coyoluca, the Palmilla, the Pinillos, the Estan- 
zuela, the Amates, the streams Guaringo, Hondo, 
Pinones, Jobo, Mondongo, Coyol, Coapan, ete. 
The Papaloapam river, one of the most important 
in the State, several kilometers of which are navi- 
gable for steamers, is made up by the confluence of a 
number of rivers of the States of Oaxaca and Puebla; 
at its entry into the State of Veracruz it has a number 
of waterfalls which could be utilized. ‘The principal 
tributaries of this river are: the Amapa, the Chi- 
chicalzapa, the Enmedio, the Tonto, formed by the 
confluence of the Petlalpa and the Altotonga; the 
Rio Grande, the Rio Obispo, the Cajones, the Chi- 
quito, the Manso, the Rio Playas, the Vicente, the 
Tesechoacan, the Rio de la Lana, the Trinidad, the 
San Juan, the Hueyapan, the Tuxtla and the Tecol- 
apan, all of which form a beautiful river net which 
is not unlike that of the State of Tabasco or the 
State of Chiapas. If to this river belt we add the 
proximity of the system of the river Coatzacoalcos, 
a navigable river carrying a large body of water, the 
large steamers going as far as Minatitlan, we gain 
an idea of the hydrographic net of the State of 
Veracruz. The confluents of the Coatzacoalcos 
river are: the Agachapan, the Temaloapan, the 
Guasuntlan, the streams Tapazulapan and Micha- 





The Republic of Mexico 435 


pan, the Chacalpa river, the Colorado, the Azul, 
the Miniapan, the Jaltepec, the Naranjo, the Chal- 
chiapa, the Solosuchil, the Juanes, the Coachapan, 
the Uspanapa, the Nanchital, the Desengano, the 
Coanochapan and others that flow in the State of 
Oaxaca. The soil within these river belts is 
extremely fertile, and better suited for agri- 
cultural enterprises than that of Tabasco, since 
it is firmer. Here intensive agriculture can be en- 
gaged in. 

The lakes and lagoons worth mentioning are: the 
lake of Catemaco, from which rises the Tuxpan 
river; the Tamiahua lagoon, the lagoon of Alva- 
rado at the northern border of which is the “Laguna 
Camaronera,” and at the southern end the Tlalix- 
coya lagoon; then there is the Laguna de Pueblo 
Viejo, the bar of Tanguijo, that of Tonala and the 
lagoon of Santicoman. 

There are numerous waterfalls in the valley of 
Orizaba on the Rio Blanco and on several of its 
tributaries, the most important one being that of 
Barrio Nuevo. Near Coatepec there is a splendid 
waterfall called Xico which could be immensely use- 
ful. Here the water falls from a height of 80 
meters, carrying a considerable volume of water. 

Sights—Archaeological Ruins—The valleys in 
the State of Veracruz are notably beautiful. Surpris- 
ingly beautiful and enchanting landscapes are con- 
stantly met with, and the road from Veracruz to the 
City of Mexico is simply entrancing, full of attrac- 
tions for the tourist. 

There are numerous archaeological ruins in differ- 
ent sections of the State, in Misantla, in Perote, in 
Papantla, etc. The most notable ruins are doubt- 
lessly those of Papantla, consisting of a pyramid of 


430 The Republic of Mexico 


six stories, perfectly visible and another story at the 
base which is covered up with earth. The large 
blocks of porphyry used in the retaining wall must 
have been carried with the greatest difficulty to 
where they are; they show bas-reliefs representing 
animals, especially reptiles. These ruins are the 
relics of a civilization, supposed to be older than the 
Maya-Quiche and contemporaneous with the races 
that constructed the ‘‘Palenque,”’ which is attributed 
to the Maya-Quiches, on account of the fact that 
they inhabited the region of the Palenque. History 
knows little of the first races that constructed pyra- 
mids and mounds along the coasts of the Gulf and 
far into the United States where these people are 
called mound-builders, due to their inclination to 
build these artificial mounds or hills, seemingly in- 
tended to protect themselves against the inundations 
of the rivers and to watch the great valleys and the 
plains where they probably had their cultivated spots 
of land. 

Opposite the village of Alvarado, in the southern 
part of the estuaries formed by the banks of the 
river Papoalapan there are ruins of sepulchres and 
of a town, belonging to Totonacan civilization. 

Near the bar of the Santecomapan there is a 
monument of the same name within the sepulchres 
of which numerous objects are found and dating to 
Mayan civilization. 

At Cabeza Colosal there exists a monument 
known as the “Cabeza (head) de Hueyapa” of To- 
tonacan origin. 

At Castillo de Teoayo there is the base of a 
teocalli situated in the center of the plaza; the ruins 
are in a very good condition, and belong to the 
Aztec civilization. 





The Republic of Mexico 437 


Sepulchres and ruins of towns are found at Cate- 
maco, of Mayan origin. 

Diverse monuments are located at Cotaxtla, sup- 
posed to be of ‘Totonacan origin. 

Ruins of a Totonacan town are found at Chi- 
cualoque. 

A famous pyramid surrounded by sepulchres, also 
of Totonacan origin, are to be seen at El Tajin. 

There are ruins of another Totonacan town at 
Espinal, Paso del Correo. 

Ruins of Totonacan edifices are found at Hua- 
tusco. 

Ruins of temples and sepulchres, denoting the 
same period of civilization are located on the island 
of Sacrificios. | 

Ruins and sculptured stones are found at Mal- 
trata; they are of Aztec origin. 

Very important monuments of Toltecan origin 
are found at Metlatoyucan and Mesa de Coroneles. 

At Naulinco there is a Totonacan teocalli. 

There are Totonacan temples in the grottoes of 
Nogales. 3 

In the municipal cemetery of Orizaba there is a 
large sculptured rock known under the name of El 
Gigante (the giant); it is a remnant of Aztec 
civilization. 

Various monuments of Mayan origin are found at 
Panuco. 

Diverse monuments of Mayan and Aztec origin 
can be seen at San Andres Tuxtla. 

Diverse ruins and an idol four meters high, 
of Aztec origin, are at Tuzapan. The idol is 
called “‘Diosa del Agua’’ (the water goddess), 
because people believe that it provides the village 
with water. 


438 The Républic of Mexico 
YUCATAN 


Climate-——The climate in this State, taken in 
general, must be called hot, being nevertheless con- 
siderably modified during the year, so that the tem- 
perature is the highest during the months of July 
and August, falling very much during the winter, 
due to the influence of the Northers which usually 
blow from November to the end of February. The 
temperature reaches an average of 25.8 degrees 
Centigrade. The sections of the country along the 
coast and the browse of the hills enjoy, of course, 
a much milder climate. It is a noteworthy fact that 
the temperature during the nights the whole year 
round is mild and agreeable, and consequently most 
refreshing. 

Rainfall—The rainy season includes the months 
of June, July and August, the average annual pre- 
cipitation being 807.2 millimeters. 

Sierras——The ridge of mountains of the Sierra 
Madre crosses the Districts of Maxcanu, Ticul, 
Tekax and Peto; its altitude nowhere exceeds 300 
meters. 


Rivers.—There is not a single river in the State 


of Yucatan, but there is an abundance of subter- 
raneous water sources; these sources are always on 
the same level with the ocean and have a certain 
amount of flow; their surface openings are either 
natural or artificial. The most famous of these 
sources, extremely deep and extensive, is situated 
in the neighborhood of the town of Valladolid. 
Sights—Ruins.—The State of Yucatan offers to 
the tourist most interesting places for excursions, 
agreeable and at the same time very instructive. 
In the District of Ticul we have the most famous 





The Republic of Mexico 439 


ruins of Uxmal, palaces and temples of the ancient 
Mayan times; they are frequently visited and ad- 
mired for their architectural beauty and indelible 
paintings. Not less noteworthy and similar to those 
named are the ruins of Chichen Itza in the District 
of Valladolid. Within the plantation of Chalcehtok, 
in the District of Maxcanu and in the Districts of 
Tekax and Loltun a number of curious natural grot- 
toes are found, worth while visiting. 

Ruins of Mayan edifices are found at a place 
called Ac; also a pyramid, of the same civilization 
period, at Ake; ruins of ancient Mayan temples are 
found also at Acanceh. At Itzimite there are ruins 
of Mayan edifices, and a large cyclopean pyramid 
and the ruins of several temples at Izamal; at Ka- 
baha there are also ruins of Mayan edifices, as are 
also at Koba. Ruins of precious Mayan palaces are 
to be seen at Labna; ruins of Mayan edifices at 
Macuba. At Mayapan, the ancient Capital of the 
Mayans, there are the ruins of an important temple 
and ruins of other edifices; on the plantation of 
Escanchacan there is embedded in one of the cor- 
ridors the stele of Mayapan. Various ruins can be 
observed at Tixcocob, they belong also to Mayan 
civilization. Mayan fortifications are found at 


Tulun. 
ZACATECAS 


Climate.—There are two distinct climatic regions 
in this State, the one is temperate, that is, the south- 
ern section of the State, though really it should be 
called ‘‘temperate-hot,’”’ and the other section, situ- 
ated in the north and center of the State, is temper- 
ate-cold. The State is situated on the Central and 
Northern Plateaus, both zones being separated by 


440 The Republic of Mexico 


the sierras of Zacatecas, Fresnillo, San Andres and 
Chalchihuites, joining the Sierra Madre Oriental in 
the Sierra of Michis, of the State of Durango. The 
warm zone is the one situated on the Central Plateau 
where sugar-cane is produced; it is the richest sec- 
tion of the State. The northern plateau is rather 
barren, although covered with excellent pastures and 
forests of mesquits, ‘‘huisaches” and several species 
of ‘‘opuntias.’’ ‘The climate is temperate, the aver- 
age temperature during the year being 14 degrees 
Centigrade. In the city of Zacatecas, situated 2,443 
meters above the level of the sea, in Sombrerete, 
Mazapil, Nieves and in other places, the cold is 
intense. 

Rainfall—The regular rainy season lasts from 
June to September. During the rainy season the 
cattle find watering places in the small lagoons or 
ponds formed by the heavy rains; these ponds dry 
out before the month of December, and the rangers 
have to concentrate their herds in places where there 
is suficient water. ‘The mean annual precipitation 
reaches 451 millimeters. 

Sierras——The State of Zacatecas is very moun- 
tainous; its system of sierras is generally known 
under the name of Sierras of Zacatecas which divide 
the central from the northern section of the State. 
There are, furthermore, the sierras of Pinos, in the 
southeast; those of Mazapil, in the north; the sier- 
ras of Fresnillo, Sombrerete and Chalchihuites, in 
the center; and those of Jerez, Huejuquilla and 
Juchipila, in the southwest of the State. These 
mountains have considerable altitudes, such as that 
of La Bufa, near Zacatecas; that of Veta Grande in 
the mining zone of this name; that of Montedeuma 
near Sombrerete; also the Sombreretillo, the Aguila 





The Republic of Mexico 441 


near Chalchihuites, the Pico de Teyra near Mazapil 
and several others. On the border line with the 
State of Durango there is the Papanton peak, one 
of the highest in the State, at the foot of which is 
found the once famous mining camp of Noria de 
San Pantaleon. The peaks known under the name 
of Bufa, Veta Grande, Papanton and Cerro del 
Aguila have an altitude of more than 3,000 meters 
above sea level. 

Rivers—Lagoons.—Since, as we have stated, the 
mountain ranges divide the State into two regions, 
its rivers run either towards the north or in the 
southern direction. The northern plateau is watered 
by the Aguanaval river which rises near Fresnillo; 
it takes the name of Rio Grande, and enters the 
region of San Juan de Guadalupe in the State of 
Durango, watering further on part of the State of 
Coahuila, and emptying its waters in the Lagoon of 
Parras. [he towns and farms situated along the 
banks of this river are very picturesque. The other 
rivers are: the Ojo Caliente which enters the State 
of Aguascalientes; the Juchipila which provides 
most of the water for the canefields; the Tlalte- 
nango and the San Andres del Teul river. The 
rivers Chalchihuites and San Antonio or Sombrerete 
flow towards the State of Durango; both together 
form the Suchil river and reach the Pacific Ocean 
through the Tunal river which goes by the name of 
San Pedro in the State of Nayarit. 

The State has several lagoons, that of Valder- 
rama in the Valley of Valparaiso, and several salt 
lagoons in the part of the Salado Valley which be- 
longs to the territory. There are other small 
lagoons in different parts of the State, such as that 
of Concepcion de Heredia and others. None of the 


442 The Republic of Mexico ' 


rivers in this State are navigable, nor are there any — 
waterfalls, but such could be built on the numerous — 
streams by means of reservoirs. 

Sights—Archaeological Ruins—The State of — 
Zacatecas has wonderful landscapes, especially in its — 
southeastern section, the Valley of Valparaiso being ~ 
one of the most beautiful sections of the State; also 
the valleys of Jerez and that of Suchil, part of which — 
belongs to this State, offer wonderful sights. | 

Worthy of a special visit are the ruins of La 
Quemada, to the north of the city of Zacatecas, not — 
far from the railroad station of Colorado. These 
ruins are attributed to the Nahuatlacan peoples and 
represent structures built after their migration to 
the Valley. The ruins of La Quemada are of his- 
toric interest, giving an idea to the traveler of the 
civilization of the Indian tribes that populated the — 
Valley of the City of Mexico, although there is_ 
nothing left but bases and heaps of stone of what 
once was the city or temporary settlement of 
nomadic peoples. 3 





CHAPTER IX 
PorTsS AND ISLANDS 


The principal ports of the Republic of Mexico 
are in the Gulf of Mexico: Tampico, Veracruz and 
Puerto Mexico or Coatzacoalcos; in the Peninsula 
of Yucatan, Progreso; in the Pacific Ocean and in 
the Gulf of California: Salina Cruz, Acapulco, 
Manzanillo, Mazatlan and Guaymas. 

The ports in the Gulf of Mexico have been im- 
proved by splendid engineering works, and are per- 
fectly protected. The ports on the Pacific side are 
well-protected natural ports. 

The large passenger steamers from Europe usu- 
ally touch only at the ports of Veracruz and 
Tampico. 

Full details concerning the matter or ports and 
islands in the different States or Territories are found 
in the following pages. 


BAJA CALIFORNIA 


The principal ports of the Territory are: La Paz, 
Todos Santos, Mulege, San Jose del Cabo, Santa 
Rosalia. La Paz is a port of entry, while all the 
others are for the coasting-trade. La Paz is situ- 
ated in a well-protected bay, but it offers no facilities 
for loading and unloading ships; this being done by 
means of canoes or barges which go out to meet the 
vessels at the far-out anchoring places. The port 


443 


444 The Republic of Mexico 


is visited by large vessels of the following steam- 


ship lines: the Naviera del Pacifico, the Naviera 
de los Estados, the Pacific Mail, the Cosmos and 
at times by ships of other lines. ‘The usual itinerary 
of these ships is from San Francisco southwards 
and back. 

There is a regular custom-house at La Paz; the 
other ports have custom agencies. 

Numerous islands belong to the Territory of 
Baja California nearly all of them uninhabited; rich 
deposits of guano and plenty of timber are found on 
them. ‘The largest and most important of these 
islands are: Encantada, Salvatierra, Angel de la 
Guardia, Smith, Partida, Raza, Salsipuedes, San 
Lorenzon, Tortuga, San Marcos, San Ildefonso, 
Coronados, Monserrat, Carmen, Santa Catalina, 
Santa Cruz, San Diego, San Jose, Espiritu Santo, 
Cerralvo, Creciente, Santa Margarita, Magdalena, 
Santo Domingo, Cedros, San Benito, Natividad, 
Sacramento, San Geronimo, San Martin, Todos 
Santos, Coronados and Guadalupe which is the 
largest of them all. 


CAMPECHE 


Ports of entry belonging to the State of Cam- 
peche are: Campeche and El Carmen, the latter © 
situated in the lagoon known as “Laguna de Ter- — 
minos.” ‘The sea at Campeche is very calm and ~ 
secure but very shallow; ships of all tonnage have — 
to anchor far outside, loading and unloading by 
means of lighters or small boats; but even these — 
work under difficulties, on account of the shallowness — 
of the water. The Government wharf could and — 
should be extended and the sea dredged on both 





The Republic of Mexico 445 


sides of it, so as to allow the lighter to do more 
efficient work. 

The port of El Carmen is large, secure and pro- 
vided with several adequate wharves, where ships of 
all tonnage can easily anchor. 

The very extensive coast of the State of Cam- 
peche has a number of small ports for the coasting- 
trade; among these we have the ports of Cham- 
poton and Palizada. 

A navigation company controlled by the Mexican 
Government carries on a regular passenger and 
freight service between Campeche and the other 
ports in the Mexican Gulf, and between Campeche 
and New Orleans, U.S. A. Furthermore, American 
and European steamers call frequently at the port of 
Campeche, in order to load natural products of the 
State. 

The Government maintains regular custom-house 
service at the ports of Campeche and El] Carmen, 
and lighthouses are kept by the Federal Government 
for the protection of the ships traveling in the Mex- 
ican Gulf, at El Moro, a promontory situated near 
a village called Seybaplaya at 24 kilometers on the 
windward coast, and another at cape Xicalanga, in 
the District of E] Carmen. 

The islands belonging to the State of Campeche 
are: Piedra, Jaina, Las Arcas, Aguada, and El Car- 
men, situated in the Los Terminos Lagoon. 


CHIAPAS 


The ports of the State are: Soconusco, Arista and 
San Benito, which are ports of call for vessels doing 
a coasting and high-seas trade. The ocean-going 
boats belong to the following companies: Naviera 


440 The Republic of Mexico 


del Pacifico, Mala del Pacifico, Costa del Pacifico 
and the Kosmos, which are of considerable draught 
and can take up to 3000 tons of freight. The ves- 
sels of the Compania Naviera de los Estados de 
Mexico are of lower draught and carry on a coastal 
trade. The vessels of this company touch at various 
Central American ports. 

All these ports are deficient in facilities for anchor- 
ing, as in general the coast is low and sandy. A good 
deal of dredging and the construction of wharves 
would be necessary to make good anchorages. 

The starting point for the ocean-going steamers © 
is the port of San Francisco, California, and they 
touch at the ports of La Paz, Guymas, Mazatlan, 
San Blas, Manzanillo, Acapulco, Salina Cruz, Puerto 
Arista, Soconusco, from which port they go on to 
Central and South American ports. On the return 
journey they call to take on whatever products are 
intended for the United States. _ 

At these ports there are custom-house depart- 
ments, with but little business to attend to. 

The coast of Chiapas has no prominent geograph- 
ical features. Along the coast there are some estu- 
aries and large lagoons; then a few lagoons, called 
in this region “‘pampas,”’ the most notable of which ~ 
are La Joya, San Andres, Buena Vista, and San — 
Marcos. From there one reaches the sandy wastes — 
of the Gulf of Tehuantepec. 

There are no islands of importance, only small 
islets of no significance. 


COLIMA 


The coast of the State of Colima extends over — 
160 kilometers, without any important geographical — 


The Republic of Mexico 447 


feature, with the exception of the mouths of the Co- 
huayana river which form the bay of Pascuales. ‘This 
could be converted into a good anchoring place; then 
there is the Lagoon of Cuyutlan, artificially con- 
nected with the ocean and forming a kind of gulf, 
which offers an excellent harborage; the port of Man- 
zanillo, one of the most important on the Pacific due 
to the fact that it communicates with the interior of 
the country by means of a railroad; then there is 
the Punta del Carrizal with good harborage for 
vessels of shallow draught. 
Small islets, uninhabited and of no significance, is 
all that belongs to this State along its coasts. Ata 
large distance from the coast, in the Pacific, there 
_are the islands of Revillagigedo, rich in guano de- 
posits, as are all the islands in the Pacific Ocean. 
The only port is that of Manzanillo, visited by 
ocean-going vessels. It offers no facilities, but these 
could be provided by constructing dams and wharves. 
Vessels of the following companies touch at this 
port: Naviera del Pacifico, Naviera de los Estados, 
: Kosmos, Mala del Pacifico (Pacific Mail), Costa del 
Pacifico. Furthermore, a great many ships and craft 
carrying on a coasting-trade call at Manzanillo. 
__ The port should have more wharves to facilitate 
loading and unloading. The vessels that touch at 
~ Manzanillo are bound for and from San Francisco, 
California. Manzanillo, being the largest port on 
_ the Mexican Pacific coast, is the chief point of de- 
parture for travelers on that side. 


rh | GUERRERO 


The ports of the State of Guerrero are in a state 
of decay. The port of Acapulco was during the 

is 

4 

‘ 


: 





448 The Republic of Mexico 


period of the Spanish Conquest the key to the Pa- 
cific Ocean, the cargoes for the Philippine Islands 
being loaded here. ‘The Mexican traffic on the 
Pacific side is in general a great deal less important 
than that on the Atlantic side. Nevertheless, Aca- 
pulco is a port of entry and has a custom-house. 
Sihuatanjeo and Petacalco are ports for the coasting- 
trade; they are of small importance. Conditions 
would be far better, if the State of Guerrero had 
easy and rapid means of communication with the 
interior of the Republic. Vessels of the following 
companies call at the port of Acapulco: The Naviera 
del Pacifico, the Pacific Mail, the Kosmos Line, the 
Compania de Navegacion de los Estados. Some of 
the vessels that touch at Acapulco are boats of more 
than 3,000 tons. Acapulco, if not a great port, 
offers, nevertheless, excellent natural advantages, 
having a fairly large and well-protected bay. The 
coast-trade ports offer no facilities whatsoever for 
loading and unloading. 

The sea-going ships that call at Acapulco are the 
same that touch at the other Mexican ports in the 
Pacific; they ply between San Francisco, Cal., Cen- 
tral and South America. 

As to islands, only the Isla Grande is worth men- 
tioning; it is situated not far from the coast of 
Guerrero. As is the case with most of the other — 
islands in the Pacific, its only claim to consideration 
is that it contains deposits of guano. : 


MICHOACAN 


The 163 kilometers of coast which belong to 
this State on the Pacific offer no bay or any other | 
geographical feature which would permit the build- 





; 
u 
’ 
" 





The Republic of Mexico 449 


ing of a port in the true sense of the word, nor are 
there any islands belonging to this State; the only 
geographical details are the points or promontories 
of Tejupa and San Telmo. 

Buceras and Maruata are two villages near the 
coast which could serve as ports for the coast-trade, 
if there were any roads leading from them to other 
places of the State; the people of these villages do 
not even engage in the fishing trade, since they have 
no market for their product. 


NAYARIT 


The port of San Blas belonging to this State is a 
port of entry. It is situated near the mouth of the 
Santiago river and offers no facilities for loading or 
unloading vessels, this work being done by means 
of small craft. The navigation companies, the ships 
of which call at this port, are the same we have men- 
tioned in speaking of the other ports on the Pacific 
coast. The largest ships that touch at San Blas are 
ships of 3,000 tons. 

The islands Las Tres Marias belong to this 
State; they are covered with a rich vegetation and 
one of them serves as the place for a penal colony, 
especially for petty thieves who are sent here from 
all over the country. ‘There are large deposits of 
guano on these islands. 


OAXACA 


The State of Oaxaca has a fairly high and firm 
coast, which is easily approached and has several 
inlets which could be readily made use of as ports. 
It is unfortunate that in Mexico the best natural 


450 The Republic of Mexico | 


ports are located just where the shipping needs are 
least. On the Gulf of Mexico, where the traffic is 
greatest and on which side lies the nearest and — 
largest portion of the civilized world, the coast line — 
is not suited for shipping, and also has second-rate — 
ports which have been made serviceable by means of ~ 
jetties and dredging works; on the Pacific side, on © 
the other hand, there are magnificent natural ports © 
which would require very much smaller outlay to © 
make them available, being deep and well-sheltered — 
bays, in which the traffic could never be in excess of — 
their capacity. The coast of Oaxaca is high and has 
numerous indentations, but it has also the ports of — 
Salina Cruz and Puerto Angel. At its eastern ex- — 
tremity it has what is called the ‘Mar Muerto,” in — 
which there are the Upper and the Lower Lagoons, ~ 
after which comes the Gulf of Tehuantepec, with its — 
sandy beaches; beyond that point the coast begins 
to rise. Here is the Ventosa Bar, where the Tehu- 
antepec river empties its waters, the port of Salina — 
Cruz, followed by the Chacahua Lagoon, Puerto — 
Angel, and the mouths of the Verde and Omotepec 
rivers. ‘The islands which lie along the coast are 
small and unimportant. ; 
The vessels which visit the Oaxaca coast belong — 
to the following companies: The Naviera del Pa- — 
cifico, the Pacific Mail, the Kosmos, the Costa del 
Pacifico, the Naviera de los Estados. The larger 
number of these vessels are of medium draught, 
notwithstanding the fact that the ports could take 
large vessels of more than 3,000 tons. : 
There are no facilities for loading and unloading, 
except at the port of Salina Cruz which is the best — 
port of the State. | F 
The vessels which call at these ports start prin- 





The Republic of Mexico 451 


cipally from San Francisco, California. Salina Cruz 
has a custom-house; the port of Angel has a customs 
agency. 


QUINTANA Roo 


The coast of Quintana Roo has several small 
ports. Payo Obispo is a port of entry with custom- 
house and lighthouse service. Vessels ranging from 
40 to $0 tons visit this port regularly. Most of 
these vessels start from Cozumel and go as far as 
Belize, British Honduras, touching at Payo Obispo; 
they belong to the navigation company of Colo & 
Bonastre. Puerto Madero, Morelos and Xcalak are 
ports for coasting-trade only. Cozumel is the largest 
island belonging to the Territory of Quintana Roo; 
it has a port of entry with custom-house and light- 
house and is visited regularly by one of the United 
Fruit Company’s White Fleet steamers, plying be- 
tween New Orleans and British Honduras. Another 
island belonging to Quintana Roo is Isla Mujeres; 
this has the shape of a horseshoe, thus yielding pro- 
tection to vessels during stormy weather; it has a 
lighthouse and a custom-house. Contoy and Chin- 
chorro are small barren islands having a lighthouse 
for the protection of the vessels plying in those 
waters. 


SINALOA 


The ports of this State are: Mazatlan, Topo- 
lobampo, Altata and Elota; the first-named is a port 
of entry and one of the principal ports of Mexico on 
the Pacific coast, the importance of which will be 
greatly increased as soon as it is connected with the 
State of Durango by the Sierra Railroad. The other 
ports are serving the coasting-trade. First-class 


452 | The Republic of Mexico 4 


ships of large draught call at Mazatlan; it is a 
natural port which needs jetties and more wharves 
in order to render better service. The companies 
that have their ships call at this port are the same 
that touch at the ports of Chiapas, Oaxaca and other 
States. Mazatlan has a regular custom-house, while 
the other ports have only customs agencies. 

A few small islands belong to the State of Sinaloa, 
most of them covered with tropical vegetation and 
containing deposits of guano which is shipped to the 
United States. These islands are: Pajaros, Vena- 
dos, Bacedito, Altamira, Saliacu, San Ignacio, Santa 
Maria, Lechuhuilla. All can be easily reached by 


canoes. 
SONORA 


The State of Sonora has two ports: Guaymas ~ 
which is a port of entry of considerable traffic, being — 
visited by more than six hundred large vessels 
a year. It has a custom-house and is visited by 
all the steamers that ply between San Francisco, 
Cal., and the Central and South American ports. — 
This port has all the necessary facilities for 
unloading and loading the vessels. The port of 
Agiabampo is situated in a well-protected bay and 
could easily be converted into a good anchoring 
place. 

The islands which are a part of the State are of 
small importance; the largest one is that of Tiburon, — 
inhabited by the Seris Indians, of a wild and fierce 
character, living a primitive life, mostly engaged in 
fishing and hunting; then there are the isles of Ciari, 
San Pedro Nolasco, San Esteban and Turner; they — 
are small and only of some importance on account — 
of their guano deposits. 





The Republic of Mexico 453 
TABASCO 


The coast of Tabasco is low and marshy; it has 
no ports or bays in which to give shelter to vessels, 
which are in consequence obliged to anchor at the 
entrance to the rivers, the united bars of the Usu- 
macinta and Grijalva rivers at Frontera; and the 
bars of the rivers San Pedro y San Pablo, Chiltepec, 
Santa Ana, Dos Bocas being the most important; 
these bars are the only ports of the State, that of 
Frontera being for ocean-going vessels. Owing to 
the necessity of the steamers calling there the City 
of Villahermosa has become a port of call for ocean- 
going ships. Villahermosa is situated far up the 
river. The other ports are simply ports of call for 
coasting-trade vessels. Frontera is a port of call 
for vessels of large draught belonging to various 
companies, such as the Naviera del Golfo, the Ward 
Line, the United Fruit Company and others. The 
smaller ports can take fair-sized vessels which are 
carrying on coast service. Vessels of 5,000 tons can 
go up the river to Villahermosa. 

The ports of Tabasco, not being really suited by 
Nature or by artificial improvements for the anchor- 
age of vessels, have no facilities for the loading and 
unloading of merchandise, all this being effected by 
means of launches with a consequent enormous loss 
of time and many other inconveniences. 

The vessels which touch at Frontera, always do so 
after calling at Veracruz, thence proceeding to El 
Carmen, State of Campeche and Progreso; then 
they continue their journey to Havana or to other 
foreign ports. ‘The coasting vessels call at all the 
ports as they go along the coast, sometimes in one 
direction and sometimes in another. 


454 The Republic of Mexico ' 


There are no islands on the coast of the State of 
Tabasco. We have mentioned one in another chap- 
ter, as being formed in the interior of the State by 
the two rivers Tintillo and Chiquito; it is very large 
and extremely fertile. 


TAMAULIPAS 


The ports of the State of Tamaulipas are: Tam- — 
pico and Matamoros which are ports of entry, and ~ 
Soto la Marina, a port for the coasting-trade. The — 
port of Tampico is situated on the Panuco river at — 
a distance of more than one kilometer from the © 
Bar which is like the mouth of the river, where there — 
are the breakwaters or jetties helping in keeping 
open the entrance to the sea. ‘This port is visited 
by ships of large tonnage, vessels of more than © 
3,000 tons, the principal of which belong to the — 
following companies: The Cuban Steamship Com- — 
pany and the Linea Canadiense Mexicana; the ships — 
of the first-named company ply between the ports © 
of Tampico, Veracruz, Puerto Mexico, London and ~ 
Antwerp; the vessels of the other company follow ~ 
the route: Veracruz, Tampico, Progreso, Halifax — 
and Montreal. Furthermore, many other ships, 
either petroleum or merchant vessels, and such other — 
steamers as are engaged in coasting-trade, as well ~ 
as river steamers plying between this port and Tama- — 
zunchale visit this port. { 

The port of Tampico has no harbor facilities and — 
important engineering works are required to make ~ 
it a commercially useful haven. For the loading — 
and the unloading of vessels there are fairly good — 
wharves. ‘The other ports are of secondary impor- — 
tance. There is regular custom-house service at the — 





The Republic of Mexico 455 


ports of Tampico and Matamoros, and a customs 
agency at Soto la Marina. 

This State has nothing that deserves the name of 
islands, for such cannot be called the sandy and 
barren strips of land separated from the mainland 
by the lagoons known as “Laguna Madre’ and 
“Laguna del Lloron.”’ These have no importance 
whatever. 


VERACRUZ 


Although the coast of Veracruz is low and sandy 
with the exception of the littoral of Alvarado which 
is swampy, there are several ports which offer good 
anchoring facilities effected by the skill of man. The 
port of Veracruz has always been the principal and 
most important port of the Republic, being visited 
by the largest number of ships of all sorts. Tuxpan 
and Puerto Mexico are ports of entry. Ports for 
the coasting-trade are: Nautla, Tecolutla, Puerto 
Lobos, Alvarado. The large ports, of course, are 
also engaged in the coasting-trade. Steamers of the 
following companies call at the ports of this State: 
Compania de Navegacion, plying between Tuxpan, 
Veracruz and Puerto Mexico, and between Vera- 
cruz and Frontera; the Tampico Navigation Com- 
pany doing coastwise trade between Veracruz and 
Tamiahua; the New York and Cuba Mail S. S. Co., 
touching at the ports of Veracruz, Progreso, Havana 
and New York; the Leyland Line; the Harrison 
Line; the Compagnie Transatlantique Francaise; 
the Transatlantica Espanola, the Cuban Steamship 
Co., the Benemelis S. S. Co., the Bacon S. S. Co., 
the Hamburg-American Line, the Royal Mail S. S. 
Co., the Linea Canadiense Mexicana. Steamers of 
a number of other lines call occasionally. 


450 The Republic of Mexico — 


Many companies are engaged in the coasting- 
trade; they are considered Mexican, although they — 
are mostly financed by foreign capital. The many — 
wharves at the port of Veracruz are constructed in — 


such a way as to allow of the anchorage of the © 


largest possible number of ships; these and the jet- — 
ties are evidences of splendid engineering work. At — 
the port of Puerto Mexico jetties also had to be © 
built in order to protect the ships; it is situated at — 


the mouth of the Coatzacoalcos river and is the — 
terminal of the railroad on the Isthmus of Tehuan- — 


tepec, having all modern loading and unloading — 
facilities. 


The port of Tuxpan is situated at the mouth of — 
the Tuxpan river; it offers no great facilities to the — 
vessels that call at it, that is at the present time, for — 
the proper engineering works necessary to attain this — 
end are only being planned for the future. The © 
small ports doing coasting-trade offer the same diffi- — 
culties in the matter of loading and unloading ves- — 
sels. The best of them is the port of Alvarado, — 
situated within the lagoon of the same name which 
serves as a bay. | a 


The custom-house of Veracruz is of the create a 
importance. Tuxpan and Puerto Mexico also have — 
custom-houses. | 


The islands belonging to the State of Veracruz 4 
are of small importance being reefs of rocks or — 


banks. The most notable are: the reef of La Gal- | 


lega on which the fortress of San Juan de Ulloa is — 
situated; the Isla de Sacrificios, where there is a — 
lazaretto for infectious diseases. “There are further- — 
more the reefs of Hornos, La Lavandera, the Bank — 
of El Burro and several small islets within the — 





The Republic of Mexico 457 


Lagoon of Alvarado; then the islands of El Idolo 
and Pajaros in the Gulf. 
Most of these islands are uninhabited. 


YUCATAN 


Progreso is the only port of entry in this State; 
it is visited by all kinds of ships, and has, of course, 
a custom-house and a first-class lighthouse. The sea 
at this port is very shallow, so that the ships have 
to cast anchor at a distance of four or five miles 
from the coast. ‘This inconvenience is remedied as 
much as possible by a well-organized lighter service. 
There are here five wharves belonging to the Yu- 
catan Railroads which can be reached only by such 
craft as draw but a few feet of water. Companies 
sending their ships to this port are: the Ward Line, 
whose ships, carrying freight and passengers, follow 
the route New York, Havana, Progreso, Veracruz, 
Tampico, returning by the same route to New York. 
Then there is the Mexican Navigation Company, 
some of whose ships ply between Progreso, Vera- 
cruz and New Orleans, La., touching at Tampico 
on their return trip, while other ships of this com- 
pany are coast liners, calling at Progreso, Campeche, 
Laguna, Frontera, Puerto Mexico and Veracruz; 
the regular cruise of these ships is between Tampico 
and New Orleans. Besides the ships of the com- 
panies named a number of vessels of other companies 
and nationalities come to Progreso. 

The small ports of Sisal and Celestun serve the 
coasting-trade only. 


CHAPTER X 
FLORA AND FUNA, HUNTING AND FISHING 


Most of the trees and plants that have any ap- 
plication in commerce or industry have been indi- 
cated in the chapters on Agriculture and Forests; 
this chapter is intended to complete those data as far 
as the flora and fauna of Mexico are concerned. 

In most cases we have added to the common name 
of the plants the corresponding botanical one; in all 
such cases where this has not been done, our aim 
has been not to repeat too often terms already given 
in the case of other sections of the country. At the 
end of this book, however, the reader will find an 
alphabetical list of common and botanical names of 
all the industrial and commercial plants, trees and 
fruits which have been mentioned in the various 
chapters. As a rule we have given the local name 
of the plants, generally of Indian origin; of such 
names there exists no reliable translation in English. 
The explanation of the scientific terms can be found 
in a good dictionary. 

In the matter of the Mexican fauna we intend to 
give the names of all such animals as produce hides, 
skins, and thus enter the commercial and industrial 
trade. 

The forests and mountains of Mexico offer the 
finest opportunity to those that like to engage in 
hunting game of all kinds, either for the sake of the 
sport itself, or for other purposes, such as obtaining 


458 





The Republic of Mexico 459 


fine skins, etc. For the fishing sport and the fishing 
industry there are a number of opportunities in dif- 
ferent sections of Mexico. 

Complete details concerning all these matters are 
found in the following pages, according to the differ- 
ent States. 


AGUASCALIENTES 


The State has many plants which are of industria! 
use. Without repeating those we have pointed out 
as being of special agricultural interest, we may men- 
tion: red oak, the bark of which furnishes tanning 
material; the castor-oil plant, which grows abun- 
dantly; the “palma” which is useful for coarse sail- 
cloth making, the “‘lechuguilla” producing ixtla fiber. 
There is also “zacate’” for broom-making, which is 
very little utilized by the inhabitants of this section. 

Hunting is of little interest, as only the ‘“‘coyote”’ 
(canis latrans) is abundant; it is hunted as much 
for the protection of the sheep and goats, which the 
coyotes frequently attack, as for the skin. 

Fishing is not, and cannot be of any importance 
in this section. 


BAJA CALIFORNIA 


Many sections of this territory have the aspect 
of desert regions with the corresponding vegetation. 
In Baja California there are many species of palm- 
trees, among them the date-palm (phoenix dactyli- 
fera), the yucca palm (yucca australis), another 
palm, the botanic name of which is dracena indivisa, 
the “palma de las pampas’”’ (grinerium oleander), 
the “‘palma de San Pedro”’ (St. Peter’s palm—yucca 
decipiens), ‘“‘palmito” (yucca rigida), another 
“palmito” (yucca treculeana), ‘‘palmera’’ (prichar- 


400 The Republic of Mexico 


dia phillifera); several species of ‘‘maguey” or 
agaves, such as “‘henequen” (agave rigida), “ma- 
guey cenizo”’ (agave quiotifera), “maguey del cerro”’ 
(agave asperuna); “‘lechuguilla’” (agave heteracan- 
tha); ‘““damiana” (thurnera diffusa), “damiana” of 
California (thurnera aphrodisiaca), the yellow 
poppy (eschcholtzia californica), ‘“‘escoba” (brick- 
elia spinulosa), “estropajo” (luffa cylindrica), “‘evo- 
nimo” (evonimo japonica), ‘‘garambullo” (cereus 
geometrizans), ‘‘guayo’” (melicocca  bijugal), 
‘izote’’ (yucca sp.), ‘jojoba’ (simmondsia califor- 
niana), ‘“‘jinicuil” (inga jinicuil), “hoja_ pinta”’ 
(samseviera Zelanica), “hierba del borracho” (cala- 
mintha macrosthema), ‘“‘malva prieta” (black mal- 
low—abutilon sp.), “‘marihuana”’ (cannabis indica— 
Indian hemp), ‘“‘nanche” (birsonima crassifolia), 
‘“norote”’ (epicampes macroura), nettle (urtica sp.), 
“organo” (cereus marginatus ), ‘‘ocotillo” (fouquiera 
splendens), ‘‘orchilla” (roccella tinctoria), “pajon” 
(sporobolus wrightii), “pitahaya” (cereus varia- 
bilis), ‘peyote cimarron” (lophophora williams), 
‘palo blanco” (lysiloma candida), “palma real” 
(roystonea regia), “sangre de grado” (jatropha 
spatulata), “torote’” (bursera microphylla), vale- 
rian (valeriana mexicana), “viznaga’’ (echinocactus 
electracanthus and other species), “nopal’”’ (opuntia 
—several species), yucca (manihot palmata aipi). 

Game is plentiful in the Territory, of course, away 
in the mountains where it can always find water. 
The wild sheep (ovis cervina) lives in the most 
solitary sections of Baja California and Sonora; 
there are also deer (cariacus virginiana) and rab- 
bits (lepus troobridgei), etc. 

Fishing is actively engaged in, the most productive 
being pearl diving. ‘The principal species of fish 


’ 
f 
q 





The Republic of Mexico 4OI 


caught along the coast of the Territory are: ‘“‘raya”’ 
(urolophus halleri), eel (myrichtihis tigrinus), 
“Jisita’”’ (elops saurus), “‘balao” (chryodorus atheri- 
noides), “liza” (mugil hospes), another species of 
‘liza’ (mugil cephalus), ‘‘alabacora” (germo ala- 
lunga), “sierra”? (scomberomorus sierra), “cabrilla”’ 
(hypoplectrus gema), “‘cabrilla de artillero” (muc- 
teroperca jordani), “‘palometa’’ (vomer setipinnis), 
“mojarra’ (xystaema cenereum), ‘“Jiniguano”’ 
(lytrulon flaviguthatum), ‘“‘sargo” (archosargus 
pourtalessi), “‘mojarra de aletas amarillas” (gerres 
peruviana), ‘“‘chopa rayada (lagodon rhomboides), 
‘Derico” (pseudoscarus perrica), ‘‘mojarra”’ (gerres 
olithomus), another ‘“‘mojarra’”’ (cymatogaster agre- 
gatus), “lapon’’ (scorpaena mystes), ‘“botete’’ 
(spheroides lobatus); this species is very harmful 
to the pearl-bearing oysters, being therefore very 
much dreaded and exterminated by the fishers; 
“cazon”’ (carcharhimus aelatorus). Furthermore 
are fished: the two-colored ‘“‘erizo”’ (murez bicolor), 
“abulon negro” (haliatis cracheroddi), mother-of- 
pearl shell (avicula margaritifera mazatlanica) and 
another species, the avicula margaritifera vinesi, 
sea-turtle (chelonia imbricata), “‘estrellita’’ (tun- 
dulus stellifer), yellow “‘pargo’’ (neomaenis argen- 
tiventris), lobster (panulirus inflatus), three species 
of whales, 7. e., the ““megaptera versabilis,” the “rha- 
chionectes glaucus” and the “‘sibalgius sulfureus’”’ ; 
the ‘“‘cachalote’” (phiseter macrocephalus), the 
dolphin (phocoena vomerina), four species of seal, 
i. e., the “‘calorhinus ursinus,”’ the ‘‘eumetopias stel- 
leri,”’ the ‘‘macrorhinus angustirrostris,” the ‘‘zola- 
phus californianus,”’ large oyster (ostrea fron), 
oyster (ostrea virginica), ‘“‘oreja de mar’ (haliotes 
gigantea). 


402 The Republic of Mexico 


The fishing trade could be greatly extended in the 
waters of Baja California. In past years the pearl 
fisheries alone brought in an annual business of 
$1,500,000. 


CAMPECHE 


Flora and fauna in this State are very abundant. 
Among the plants and trees of industrial application 
we have the Mexican agave or sisal, the campechea- 
or logwood, the sapota, the mahogany, the cedar, the 
castor-oil plant, the rubber-tree (castilloa), the 
‘‘nochote”’ or “‘kapoc,”’ several species of palm-trees, 
the leaves of which are used in the manufacturing of 
hats, the ‘“‘chucum,” the bark of which serves for 
tanning, the ‘“‘chacte”’ used for the manufacturing of 
doors and beams, and the “‘jabin,” employed for 
naval construction. 

As samples of the fauna we have the deer, of 
which there are several species, the tiger, the tiger- 
cat, the wild hog or “‘quitan,’”’ the puma or American 
lion, the tapir. ‘There are, besides the animals 
named, a good many others. Far enough away 
from the towns and settlements there is plenty of 
game. 

Worthy of special mention is the excellence and 
great variety of fish in the tranquil waters of the 
Bay of Campeche. On the windward coast and in 
the river Champoton oyster banks establish their 
numerous colonies, while different families or species 
of chelonians agitate the waters. 


CHIAPAS 


There is a prodigious wealth in this State in the 
vegetable no less than in the animal kingdom. As 


Page: (Yee Aa 


ne ae 


The Republic of Mexico 403 


to the flora we will just quote a few of the many 
trees and plants which may be considered of manu- 
facturing value. A great many of these have already 
been indicated in the chapters on Agriculture and 
Forests. 

First of all we would bring to the notice of the 
reader the “‘caucho” or rubber-tree which is ex- 
tremely abundant; the “chicozapote,” the gum of 
which enters into the manufacturing of chewing 
gum; there are incalculable quantities of this tree; 
two species of cotton-trees, the “eriodendron grandi- 
flora” and the “eriodendron aesculiforme,’’ which 
produce a high grade cotton, these trees forming 
immense forests by themselves; the indigo-plant 
(indigofera anil) which is the largest indigo-pro- 
ducing plant in the world; the tobacco plant; saffron 
and “‘azafrancillo,’”’ dyestuffs; “‘linaloe”’ and teco- 
mac” which produce a highly priced essential oil; 
quinine (cinchona succirrubra ), of well-known medic- 
inal value; the poppy (papaver somnifera) which 
has sedative properties; camomile (centaurea 
minor); the castor-oil plant; the mallow plant, the 
marshmallow, aloe, digitalis, balm or balsam, the 
“hierba buena’ (mentha viridis) and many other 
medicinal plants. Among the dye-producing plants 
may be mentioned the arnotto tree (bica orellana), 
brazilwood, campechea-wood; “toronjil’” (balm 
gentle), the sandalwood-tree, the copal-tree, all of 
which are abundant, the ‘‘chilte”’ (manihot foetida), 
the ‘“canagria’’ (rumex hymenoscephalus), the 
“cuapinole’”’ (hymenea courbaril), which produces a 
flour similar in every respect to the ground and 
roasted corn-grain, being known by the name of 
“pinole”’; it also gives a good oil. 

The fishing which is carried on in the rivers of 


4O4 The Republic of Mexico 


the State and also along the coast is important; the 
fish consist of several varieties. In the Usumacinta 
river large quantities of “almeja’’ (shellfish—unio 
crocodilatum) are caught. Sponges are gathered on 
the coast. 

Game is plentiful throughout the State and the 
finest skins have to be shipped without tanning, los- 
ing much of their value, because curing processes are 
unknown in the country. The tiger or leopard is 
found in large numbers. The tapir (tapierella 
bairdi) exists in a wild state in the forests in im- 
mense droves, being only occasionally hunted. 
Among the birds we should mention the magnificent 
‘‘quetzales,”’ the sacred birds of the primitive Maya- 
Quiche tribes, who were the inhabitants of Na-Chan 
or Palenque. They are probably more abundant in 
the State of Chiapas than in the Republic of Guate- 
mala, where there is a city named after this ex- 
tremely beautiful bird, 7. e., the city of Quetzalte- 
nango. The heron or “‘garza habada” (tigrisomax 
cabanisi) exists in large numbers on the rivers and 
lagoons. 


CHIHUAHUA 


There is a great variety of vegetation in this 
State. Next to the desert vegetation in the Bolson 
section we have the temperate climate of the central 
valleys, the cold zone with its corresponding growth 
in the western sierras, and the tropical vegetation 
in the gorges and ravines near the States of Sinaloa 
and Sonora. Among the great number of plants 
that can be industrialized we mention the following; 
most of these have already been indicated in the 
chapters on Agriculture and Forests: the caperbush 
(spomoea sp.), ‘‘escobilla” (schkukria virgata), 





The Republic of Mexico 405 


“amole de bolita’ (sapindus marginatus), ‘‘ane- 
mona’ (anemone mexicana), “‘anisillo’ (tagetes 
micrantha), “barbas de chivo’’ (clematis dioica), 
“trompillo” (solanum elaeagnifolium), “reed or 
carrizo”’ (arundo donax), “chia” (salvia hispanica), 
“chia cimarrona’”’ (salvia pseudo chia), “‘copalquin”’ 
(croton tiglium), “‘chicalote” (argemone mexicana), 
‘“candelilla” (two species: euphorbia antisyphilitica 
and euphorbia cerifera), ‘“‘canapis’’ (sorghum vul- 
garis), ‘“cadillo” (xanthium canadense), “coyol” 
(acromia mexicana), ‘‘chachamole’” (nymplaea 
ampla), “‘cicuta’’ (conium maculatum), “chaparro”’ 
(mimosa sp.), “chamal’’ (dioon edule), “chilillo” 
(grymis winteri), “‘engordacabras’”’ (dalea_ tuber- 
culata), ‘“‘estafiate’”’ (artemisia mexicana), “‘estrel- 
lita” (milla biflora), ‘“encinilla’” (croton dioicus), 
“flecha de agua’ (sagitaria variabilis), “garam- 
bullo” (cereus geometrizans), ‘“gobernadora’’ 
(larrea mexicana), “guayul” (vauquelia corym- 
brosa), ‘‘guayule”’ (parthenium argentatum), ‘“‘gran- 
jeno”’ (celtis pallida), “‘garabato”’ (pisonia hirsuta), 
“‘gatuno” (mimosa biuncifera), “guayacan’’ (gua- 
iacum sanctum), “‘guayacan colorado” (tabebuia gua- 
iacan), °grama” (cynodon dactylon), “‘ixtle” (agave 
sp.), ‘“jaboncillo,”’ which in the region of Batopilas 
is known under the name of “‘gamonero”’ (sapindus 
drumondi), “hierba del zorillo’’ (croton devicus), 
several species of the agave plant, ‘“manzanilla”’ 
(matricaria chamomilla), “mirasol” (helianthus 
annus), ‘“‘mostaza”’ (brassica nigra), ‘‘madreselva’’ 
(lonicera carpifolium), “nardo” (polianthes tube- 
rosa), “ninfa’” (nymphaea—several. species), ‘‘no- 
pal” (opuntia—several species), ‘“‘oregano”’ (brick- 
elia veronicaefolia), ‘‘oregano” (lippia graveo- 
lens), “organo” (cereus marginatus), ‘“‘otate’’ 


400 The Republic of Mexico 


(guada sp.) “‘acebuche’’ (forrestiera murocoides) , 
“narra silvestre’’—wild grape-vine (vitis aestivalis ), 
‘“pajon” (epicampes macroura), another species 
called ‘“‘pajon’” (sporobolus wrightii), ‘‘palma”’ 
(yucca australis), ‘“‘palmito” (yucca rigida), another 
species of “‘palmito” (yucca treculeana), “plato y 
taza’ (hymenocallis ratata), ‘‘toloache de laguna”’ 
(datura ceratocaula), another species of ‘‘toloache”’ 
(datura stramonium), ‘“‘tulillo” (eleocharis palu- 
stris), ‘‘tule’’ (cyrpus lacustris), “toronjil” (cedro- 
nela mexicana), peppermint (mentha pipenta). 

The game in this State consists chiefly of deer 
(cariacus virginiana), ‘“‘berrendo” or wild goat 
(antilocarpa americana), ‘‘coyote” (canis latrans), 
prairie dog (cynomys ludoviciana), wolf (canis 
lupus), brown bear (urus americanus), silver bear 
(ursus horribilis), buffalo, still found in the wildest 
and most solitary sections, also known under the 
names of bison or “‘cibolo’” (bison americanus). 
There also is a great variety of birds. 

Fishing has no importance in this State, but it is 
engaged in in the Papigochic river, where especially 
‘‘trompudo”’ (catostomus sonorensis) is caught; the 
people fish river pearl oysters (nephronaias azte- 
corum) in the river and lake of Conchos. 


COAHUILA 


Few vegetal species grow in the State which are 
not of the desert type, of which there is an infinite 
variety. It is generally believed that the botanical 
species are very few in these regions. But this is 
not so. ‘The truth is that there are numberless 
desert plants which mostly are absolutely or nearly 
unknown. The agricultural plants growing in this 


The Republic of Mexico 407 


State have been fully indicated in the chapter on 
Agriculture. Industrial plants, that is plants that 
already are or can be utilized in industry, are: ‘‘can- 
delilla,” “gobernadora,” ‘“‘lechuguilla,” of which 
there are immense quantities in the different sections 
of the State. 

Not much game is found in Coahuila; the animal 
that calls the attention of hunters mostly is the “ber- 
rendo” or wild goat (antilicarpa americana). ‘The 
solitary region of the Muovano Sierra is the place 
preferred by hunters. Wild duck, crane and white 
heron are hunted in the vicinity of the Parras and 
Mayran lagoons. 

Fishing is of no importance in this State. 


CoOLIMA 


Plants of commercial and industrial application, 
besides those mentioned in the chapters on Agricul- 
ture and Forests, are: “copalxihuitl’ (myrica 
xalapensis), ‘“‘guayul’’ (vauquelina corymbosa), 
“hierba del borrego” (stevia eupatoria), “‘llora 
sangre’ (bocconia arborea), ‘“‘tecoscochitl,” ‘“‘za- 

pila” (aloe vulgaris). 

| There is plenty of game in the State, compris- 
ing puma, tiger, coyote, wolf, bear, otter and 
other animals, from which splendid skins can be 
obtained. 

Fishing is engaged in along the coast and in the 
rivers Cohuayana, Armeria and Cihuatlan; it com- 
prises the following species: “‘tintorera’’ (sphirna 
zygaena), “liza’”’ (mugil cephalus), “palometa”’ 
(vomer setipinnis), ‘‘mojarra’” (xysteoma cener- 
eum), “jiniguano” (lytrulon flaviguthatum), “mo- 
jarra de aletas amarillas’’ (gerres peruviana), 


ee ee ee ee ee 


aa poe 





408 The Republic of Mextco 


‘“‘mueca”’ (chaetodon humeralis), sardines (goodea 
atripinnis), etc. 
DIsTRITO FEDERAL 


The commercial plants are those which we have 
indicated in the chapter on Agriculture. Those of 
industrial application growing in the District are 
insignificant, since such plants are rather imported 
from other sections of the Republic to be used in dif- 
ferent industries established in the Federal District. 

Game in the District is very limited. Only in the 
sierras of the Ajusco, in the fields and hilly sections 
of Xochimilco and Milpa Alta is hunting done, com- 
prising coyotes, mountain cats, ‘‘cacomixtle”’ (bas- 
aris sumicrasti), ducks and herons. But there is no 
abundance of such game. 

Fishing is of no importance in the District. 


DURANGO 


The plants of commercial value are those which 
we have mentioned under the heading of Agricul- 
ture. Those of manufacturing value are: “‘guayule,” 
a rubber-producing shrub which grows in a wild state 
in the eastern and northeastern sections; the ‘‘can- 
delilla’’ contains wax in its tissues and grows spon- 
taneously in the calcareous sections, East and North- 
east; the “lechuguilla” produces a very strong fiber; 
the ‘“gobernadora”’ contains substances for the manu- 
facture of explosives, which makes it a plant of great 
potential value for manufacturing purposes. The 
‘‘canapis” plant is used for cattle feed, for the manu- 
facture of brooms, and is also grown for birdseed; 
the “guayul” or “palo prieto” tree yields a good 
tanning material. 


Pe ae eee 


The Republic of Mexico 409 


In the forests and valleys of the State there is 
large game as well as small. Coyote hunts are or- 
ganized on.a large scale and as many as fifty of 
these animals are often caught at one time, and the 
skins taken. On the Mapimi, Cuencame and Inde 
steppes, the “berrendo” or “bura” is hunted, of 
which both the skin and meat are used, as well as 
the horns, from which ornamental articles are made. 
On the high plateaus of the Sierra, from Suchil to 
Tamasula and Santiago Papasquiare, people hunt 
deer (cariacus tolteca) from the month of August 
to November. Hunting is also engaged in through- 
out this section for wolves, the brown bear and even 
the silver bear. In the ravines are found the long- 
tailed wild cat (felis tigrina) and the short-tailed 
wild cat (felis rufa), the ‘‘chiriduyo” (felis par- 
dalis), the puma (felis concolor) and the tiger (felis 
onza, ounce). Hare and rabbit are hunted in the 
plains. ‘The duck, white heron and the blue heron 
(ardea candidissima and ardea cerulea) are the most 
prized among the birds; the ‘“‘cocono salvaje” 
(meleagris gallopavo) and the quail (gallipepla 
scamatia) which exist in enormous quantities, are 


also hunted. 


GUANAJUATO 


The soil of Guanajuato is rich in vegetal species, 
many of which grow spontaneously and in great 
abundance. Many of these have been indicated in 
dealing with agricultural and forestal products. 
Here we have: ‘‘candelilla,” ‘“‘estafiate’ (artemisia 
mexicana), “guayul”’ or “palo prieto”’ which pro- 
duces tannin, the same as the ‘“‘cascalote,’ “hoja 
pinta,” “‘ixtle,”’ castor-oil plant, white-mulberry tree, 
“norote,” “oregano,” olive tree, “manzanilla”’ (ma- 


470 The Republic of Mexico 


tricaria chamomilla), “peyote,” ‘“‘poleo,” “peru” 
(schinus molle), “‘rosilla’” (helenium mexicanum), 
“salvilla’” (buddleia scordiodes), ‘‘toronjil” (draco- 
cephalum moldavica), ‘‘toloache’ (datura_ stra- 
monium), ‘“‘tule,” valerian (valeriana mexicana), 
“‘7abila” (aloe vulgaris), ‘‘yerbaniz”’ (tegetes lucida), 
‘Yerbabuena” (metha viridis), ‘‘costicpatle’ (tha- 
lictrum hernandezii), the root of which contains a 
coloring matter; ‘‘nextamalxochitle’ (ranunculus 
dichotomus), which is a caustic; “palo amarillo” 
(berberis pinnata), also called in the country “‘ca- 
chisda”’; it contains a coloring matter; ‘“‘chicalote,” 
“llora sangre’ (bocconia arborea) ; this plant con- 
tains alkaloids of anaesthetic qualities. 

Hunting constitutes an attractive sport in this sec- 
tion, game being plentiful. The species that are 
hunted mostly are: deer, rabbit ‘‘comadreja”’ or 
weasel (mustela brasiliensis), “‘conepatl’” (conepatus 
mapurito), coyote, “‘coyemetl’’ (dicotyles tajau), 
‘“‘mapache” (procyon lotor), “oztohua,” a kind of 
fox (vulpes virginianus) and other species which 
are hunted either for their skin or meat or just for 
the sake of exterminating them as injurious beasts. 

Fishing is engaged in along the rivers and the 
lagoon of Yuriria, but is of no importance. 


GUERRERO 


There are in this State numberless plants—and 
the same is true in the other sections of Mexico— 
which are either altogether unknown or very little 
used in commerce or industry. But there are many 
others that are well known; among those that have 
not been described in other chapters are the follow- 
ing: “‘copalchi” (couteria latiflora), a tree the bark 


ee eM Ee) eae 


The Republic of Mexico 471 


of which is used for its medicinal value in combat- 
ing the endemic fever of this region; the “‘ocotillo” 
(fouquiera splendens), from which a resin is ex- 
tracted; “‘copal santo’? (bursera jorullensis), of 
which the incense used in the churches is obtained; 
“pinoncillo” (jartropha curcas), which yields a 
strong and very dangerous purgative; ‘‘codo de 
fraile”’ (thevetia yecotli),.a venomous plant; ‘“‘cuau- 
tecomate’’ (parmentiera alata), a medicinal plant 
used in diseases of the respiratory tract and for the 
cure of diarrhea; ‘“‘napahuite”’ (trichilia hirta), the 
seeds of which contain forty per cent of oil; ‘‘coyol 
real” (oredoxa regia), which produces a fine oil; 
“paracata,’ the bark of which contains a large 
amount of tannin; “pie de cabra’”’ (bauhinia), a 
very strong wood containing dyestuffs; ‘“‘jotlatia” 
produces an irritant resin; its wood is scarcely ever 
attacked by woodlice; ‘‘mataratas,” a tree the bark 
and flowers of which are used in manufacturing a 
rat-killing stuff; ‘‘palo del brasil,” a dyewood; 
“cabeza de viejo’ (cephalocereus chrysacanthus), 
a textile plant; “‘hierba del borrego” (stevia eupa- 
toria), used as a remedy against malaria; ‘“‘majagua’’ 
(hibiscus tilicens), a textile plant; ‘“‘tepozan”’ (bud- 
dleia humboldtiana), and many other species that 
are mentioned in other parts of this book. 

Game is abundant in the State. There are several 
species of deer; rabbits, also various species; bear, 
wolf, puma, ‘“‘mapache” (procyon lotor), otter, 
“frijolillo” (felis pardalis), “jabali’’ or wild hog 
(dicotyles labiatus) ; lynx (felis rufa), “‘martucha,”’ 
(cercoleptes caudivolvulus) ; ounce (mustela brasi- 
liensis), “‘oztohua,’’ a species of fox. ‘These and 
other animals are hunted in the State of Guerrero. 
Most of the skins, some of which are very fine, get 


472 The Republic of Mexico 


lost because the people do not know how to pre- 
serve, prepare or tan them. As to birds, a great 
variety of them is hunted, as for example the wild 
turkey or ‘“‘guajalote” (meleagris ocellata), the 
“chachalaca,” a kind of wild fowl (ortalis vetula), 
the eagle (aquila crysaetos); various kinds of 
“abejero” (oiranga aestiva, myobius sulphureipy- 
gius, tyranus crassirostris), a bee-eating bird which 
does a great deal of harm. 

Fishing is actively engaged in along the coast and 
rivers, the species of fish being the same as those 
found in the State of Guanajuato. 


HIDALGO 


The flora of this State shows that there are two 
well-defined regions in the State; one class of vege- 
tation is that of the plains where the “‘pulque”’ agave 
plant abounds, and the other is that met with in the 
plains of Tula, Tulancillo and the section of the 
Huasteca region belonging to this State. Multitudes 
of plants cover the soil, and many industries could 
be established to utilize the indigenous products of 
this section. In the region where maguey or agave 
grows, and which for that reason is also suitable 
for other species of the same genus, there are the 
ixtle agave, the agave of the highlands (agave as- 
peruna) and other fiber-producing plants. The 
‘“‘candelilla” grows in the plains of Hidalgo as it 
does in those of the State of Puebla, there being the 
species called ‘“euphorbia cerifera,” which is very 
little different from the “euphorbia antisyphilitica”’ 
mentioned in the descriptions relating to other States, 
and is a good textile plant; the ‘‘oregano,” which 
produces an antirheumatic substance; the “‘peyote”’ 


The Republic of Mexico 473 


which contains an excitant of possible medicinal 
application; and a large number of other plants 
which could be made the basis of flourishing in- 
dustries. All the plants which we have mentioned 
and many others, would furnish the raw material 
for important industries, as they exist in enormous 
quantities. 

Hunting is carried on in the State, especially of 
the animals of the torrid zone in the Huasteca sec- 
tion, such as: the puma, ounce, “‘tigrillo,” a large- 
sized tiger-cat. In Tula, Tulancillo, Tenango and 
other similar localities, deer are hunted, and al- 
though these are daily becoming more rare, they are 
by no means extinct, as they are particularly adapted 
to the climate, soil and food in these sections of the 
country. 


JALIsco 


In the southern section of the State, near the 
State of Colima and the coast, the plants are of the 
tropical kind. Towards the boundary with the 
State of Nayarit there is an abundance of “‘ramie’’ 
(boehmeria niveatex) which people try to utilize in 
the textile industry in the city of Guadalajara; then 
there are the following plants: “‘maguey bravo’”’ 
(agave cupreata), growing in the vicinity of the 
volcanoes and which could be utilized in different 
industries; ‘‘azafrancillo,” ‘anil’ or indigo-plant, 
“aconito”’ (ranunchulus dichotomus), “anisillo,”’ 
“amole de bolita’? (sapindus marginatus), contain- 
ing much saponin; ‘‘abrojos’’ (koeverlinia spinosa), 
arnica (heterotheca inuloides), ‘‘anisillo’’ (tagetes 
micrantha), ‘“‘amole’’ (procycanthes viridescens), 
“bonete” (illeus heptaphyllus), “bruja” (bryo- 
phyxlus calycinum), ‘‘borraja’ (cordia boissieri), 


474 The Republic of Mexico 


“balsamo” or balm (myroxylon pereirae), ‘“‘chia,” 
“chilte,” “‘candelilla,” ‘‘canapis,”’ “‘chicalote,” “coyol 
baboso”’ (acromia mexicana), “‘clavellina” (bombax 
palmeri), ‘“‘copal santo,’ “‘colorin” (erytrina col- 
larodendron), “colorin chiquito” (rhinchosia pre- 
catoria), which is utilized in the manufacturing of 
corks; “‘Ilora sangre’? (bocconia arborea), a dye 
plant of anaesthetic properties; ‘‘cuajilote” (parmen- 
tiera edulis), ‘‘espuelas de caballero” (delphinium 
leptophillum), ‘‘estafiate’’ (artemisia mexicana), 
“oranadilla” or “jarrilla de Guadalajara” (mocinna 
heterphylla), ‘“guasima,” ‘“‘jaboncillo” (sapindus 
sp.), ‘“‘hinojo”’ (foeniculum vulgare), “hierba 
buena” (mentha rotundiflora), hoja-sen (fluorencia 
cernua), flax, white-mulberry tree, ‘‘mezquitillo” 
(cassia occidentalis), “ninfa blanca’’ (nymphaea 
alba), “oregano,” “peyote,” “pata de liebre’’ (och- 
roma lagopus), a textile plant, much used for the 
manufacturing of hats; “pinguica’’ (acrostaphilus 
pungeus), “pegarropa” (mentzella wrightii), “‘ro- 
silla’”” (helenium autumnale), ‘“‘zabila” (aloe vul- 
garis), and many other plants which still have to 
be studied in order to determine their industrial 
value. 

The State of Jalisco offers splendid opportunities 
for hunting, since there is plenty of deer, especially 
in the northern section and also of rabbits, hare, 
coyote, wolf, brown bear, silver bear, puma, tiger, 
wild fowl or “‘chachalaca,”’ etc., etc. 

Fishing is of no great importance in this State, 
being engaged in in the rivers and in the lake of 
Chapala; the fish caught mostly are: the small sar- 
dine (goodea atripinnis), “bagre (amiurus dugesi), 
‘pescado blanco’ (chrosoma estor Jordan), “‘lam- 
prea’’ (lampetra spadicea), etc. 


The Republic of Mexico 475 


MExIco 


Nearly everything that can be said concerning the 
flora of this State is already contained in the chapters 
on Agriculture and Forests. As to industrial plants 
it may not be amiss to repeat the names of a few 
that offer the best chances of being industrialized, 
as soon as their usefulness is thoroughly under- 
stood. These plants are: the maguey for the ex- 
traction of the so-called ‘‘ixtle’”’ fiber, the ‘‘zacaton” 
the root of which could well be exploited in the 
manufacture of brooms, brushes, etc.; the white-mul- 
berry tree, the further growing of which would help 
the development of the silk-manufacturing industry, 
already in existence to some extent and apparently 
yielding very satisfactory results; the “carrizo” and 
the “taray,” the reed of which has an extensive in- 
dustrial application. Then there are in the State 
considerable quantities of plants, the fruits and seeds 
of which could very well be made the bases for a 
prosperous oil-producing industry, as for example, 
the peanut, the olive, etc. 

The State offers a fairly good hunting ground. 
The regular hunting season includes the months of 
September and October. ‘The game includes deer, 
ounce, puma, tiger or leopard, mountain cat, skunk, 
coon and other species, offering splendid hunting for 
the sportsman as well as for the professional! hunter. 

Not much fishing is done in the lakes of the State, 
although there is a good market for the product; it 
is moré active in the lake of Xochimilco. 


MICHOACAN 


The chief industrial plants of Michoacan are: 
sugar-cane, tobacco, flax, indigo, cotton, “‘ixtle,”’ 


470 The Republic of Mexico 


tan-bark trees, sesame, vanilla, rubber-trees, mezcal, 
grape-vines, olive-trees, mulberry-trees, ‘‘zacaton”’ 
(a coarse grass), and a number of others, all in 
enormous quantities, so much so that the organiza- 
tion of important industries could be made profitable. 

Game is plentiful; on the Southern Plateau there 
are animals of the torrid zone, such as puma, “'ti- 
grillo” or tiger-cat, the ‘‘ocetotle,” ounce, and others 
with beautiful skins, greatly apreciated by those in- 
terested in such articles; deer abound mostly in the 
Northern Plateau. 

Fishing is of great importance in the lakes of 
Patzcuaro and Chapala and in some of the rivers 
of the State, such as the Marques, the Tepalcatepetl, 
the Balsas and the Zacatula which is the lower 
course of the Balsas river. Only the lakes of Patz- 
cuaro and Chapala have near-by markets. The 
principal fishing place on the Chapala is Sahuayo. 


MORELOS 


The State of Morelos possesses an immensely 
rich flora, as one can easily gather from our state- 
ments concerning agricultural and forestal condi- 
tions. Most of the calabash which when dried is 
used as a vessel for the juice of plants in many of 
the States is a product of the “lagenaria vulgaris,” 
very abundant in Morelos; other industrial plants 
grown in this State are: ‘“‘anil”—indigo, sesame, 
“capomo,” “chilte,” ‘“‘cana fistula” (cassia fistula), 
which has medicinal value, “cuajiote” (bursera 
aptera), the gum or resin of which is gen- 
erally used for gluing broken glass and crock- 
ery; yucca, locally also known under the name 
of “guacamote’’; “bonete’’ (phileus heptaphilles), 


The Republic of Mexico 477 


“mangle rojo” (rhizophora mangle), a tanning ma- 
terial; ‘“‘ocotillo” which yields good resins; cedar, 
the resin of which is used in the preparation of 
remedies against bronchitis; ‘‘hierba de la cucaracha”’ 
(haplophitum cimicidum), which is an insecticide; 
“codo de fraile” (thevetia yecotli), which contains 
poisonous substances; “‘nacaxtle’’ (pithecolobium 
sp.), used against the bites or stings of venomous 
animals; sarsaparilla (smilax sp.), of well-known 
medicinal properties. The flora of this State is 
identical with that of the States of Puebla and 
Oaxaca to which we refer the reader for further 
details concerning the matter. There is a plant in 
this State which deserves special mention; it pro- 
duces glass-like beads, fairly strong and of a blue 
color, which the Indians use for making necklaces 
and similar things; the plant is called “‘lagrima de 
San Pedro”’—St. Peter’s tears (caix lachryma). 

Game is plentiful in this State and comprises fine 
fur-clad beasts, such as pumas, tiger-cats, leopards, 
jaguar (felis jaguarundi), bears, otters, ‘“‘caco- 
mixtle’’ (two species: basaris astuta and basaris 
sumichrasti), foxes, wolves, etc. Among the birds 
we must mention the “aguila caudal’ or eagle 
(aquila crisaetus), one of the largest species in the 
country. Many places in the State such as the towns 
of Cuernavaca and Cuautla are named after this 
bird. The common name among the Nahuatlacan 
Indians for Cuernavaca was Cuauhuahuac, signify- 
ing “‘the place where the eagle’s voice is heard.” 

No fishing of any importance is carried on in the 
State; it seems that the people care a great deal for 
the hunting sport, being very little interested in the 
fishing trade, which could be engaged in in the large 
rivers. 


478 The Republic of Mexico 
NAYARIT 


There is a rich and varied flora in the wooded 
ravines, valleys and islands of the State of Nayarit. 
The soil holds a multitude of medicinal, textile and 
other plants. Many species have never been studied 
and nothing is known about their possible applica- 
tion for commercial or industrial purposes. The fol- 
lowing are some of the industrial plants that grow 
plentifully in this region: ‘‘amapolita morada’”’ 
(cenothera rosea), which grows in the plains; “‘ani- 
lina”? (phlox drumondi), “‘acocote’”’ (prionosciadum 
mexicanum), various species of rubber-trees, ‘“‘arce’’ 
(acer campestris), ‘‘arnica’’ (heterotheca inulides), 
‘amole,” “borraja,” “balsamo,”’ ‘‘clavellina’’ (bom- 
bax palmeri), another species of “‘clavellina” (pa- 
chira), ‘‘copal chino” (bursera bipinnata), ‘“‘copal 
santo” (bursera jorullensis), ‘‘cicuta’’ (conium ma- 
culata), ‘“‘colorin chiquito” (rhinchosia precatoria), 
‘“colorin” (erytrina corallodendron), ‘‘cuapinole’’ 
(hymenaea courbaril), “‘cana fistula’ (cassia fis- 
tula), “‘copalchi’’ (coutarea latifolia), “‘cocolmeca” 
(smilax rotundifolia), ‘‘cebadilla’’ (schoenocaulon), 
‘“canamo”’ (cannabis sativa), “chachaca’’ (grymis 
winteri), ‘‘estrellita’”’ (milla biflora), “guasima”’ 
(guazuma polibotrya), ‘‘gordolobo” (guaphalium 
canescens), ‘‘jaboncillo,’ ‘‘mostaza” (brassica 
nigra), “‘otate’” (guada sp.), “marihuana” (canna- 
bis indica), “‘marrubio”’ (marrubio vulgare), ‘‘ota- 


tillo” (chusquea), ‘‘peyote,” ‘“‘peru,” “pochotes,” 
“pata de liebre,” “pinguica,” “pegarropa,” “rosilla,” 
“‘tronadora”’ (tecoma stans), “‘yerbanis,”’ “‘zacate de 


aparejo” (sporobolus utilis), ‘‘zopilote’’ (swietenia 
mahogani). 
Game includes large species, such as deer, brown 


sh eT ee 


The Republic of Mexico 479 


bear, silver bear, wolf, puma, ounce, a species of 
otter (lutra felina), mountain cat, etc. Among the 
birds we have the wiid turkey, a kind of wild fowl, 
called ‘“‘chachalaca”’ (ortalis vetula and ortalis po- 
licephala), raven (corvus corax), ‘‘corre camino” 
(geococcyx affinis), ‘‘cuitlacoche’ (harporhinchus 
quail), “‘coa”’ (trogon mexicanus ), ‘“‘agachona”’ (gal- 
linago delicate), ‘‘coquita’” (chamaepelia minuta), 
“faisan griton” (crax globicera) a kind of pheasant, 
“guacamaya’ (are militaris), macaw; ‘“‘huilota”’ 
(zenaidura macrura), ‘martin pescado pardo”’ 
(cerile alcyon), “‘mulato’’ (melanotis caerulescens), 
“torcaz”’ (columba leucocephala), ‘“‘pito real” (tro- 
gon mexicanus), etc., etc. 

Much fishing is done on the Pacific coast, espe- 
cially near San Blas, the following fish being caught 
mostly: “aguja’”’ (fylosurus fordiator), ‘“‘mojarra” 
(xystoema cenereum), “chopa rayada’’ (lagodon 
rhomboides), ‘“raya’’ (urolophus halleri), etc. 
Shrimps and oysters are caught in the lagoon of 
Mexcaltitlan. 


NvueEvo LEON 


Besides the species of plants having industrial ap- 
plication, mention of which has already been made 
in the chapters on Agriculture and Forests, the fol- 
lowing deserve special notice: “zacate de aparejo”’ 
(sporobolis utilis), ‘‘zacate de escoba’’—broom 
grass (muhlenbergia disticophylla), common palm 
(phoenix dactilifera), “yerbanis,” ‘“tomillo” (thi- 
mus vularis), ‘‘sangre de grado” (jatropha spatu- 
lata), “rosilla” (helenum automale), ‘ramon 
blanco” (trophis americana), “palma samandoca”’ 
(yucca australis), ‘‘palmito’’ (yucca treculeana), 
“palma de San Pedro” (sanuela carnerosana), 


{SO The Republic of Mexico 


“viznaga,’ “pitahaya,” ‘“‘garambullo,” “oregano,” 
“otatillo”’ (chusquea sp.), ‘‘ocotillo,” “ojaranza”’ 
(carpinis betulus), nettle, “‘chascalote,” “nanche,” 
“cabeza de negro” (nymphaea ampla), “ninfa,” 
‘maguey bruto” (agave asperuna), ‘‘maguey cenizo”’ 
(agave quiotifera), “‘hinojo” (foeniculum vulgare), 
“chamal,” “bonete,” ‘“‘azafrancillo.” 

Game is not very abundant; there are, neverthe- 
less, deer, a kind of wolf called in the country 
‘‘xoloitzcuintli,” beaver (castor fiber), “puerco juin” 
(taxidea americana), “moto”? (spermophilus mex- 
icanus), ‘“‘mapache” (procyon lotor), “‘leoncillo” 
(felis eyra), short-tailed mountain cat (felis rufa), 
‘corralero” (felis pardalis). 

Fishing is done in the Salado river, espe- 
cially of the river pearl oyster (unio digittatus), 
the river mother-of-pearl oyster (lampsilis berlan- 
dieri), and another species known under the name of 
‘‘concha palola” (quadrola heros). 


OAXACA 


Although we have already given an idea of the 
wealth of flora of the State of Oaxaca, we will men- 
tion here in a cursory manner the species which could 
at once be utilized commercially and industrially: 
different rubber-yielding trees, indigo, tobacco, sapo- 
dilla, saffron (dye matter), quinine bark trees, ‘‘ma- 
chiche,” balm, mallow, marshmallow, ‘‘anisillo,”’ 
“copalxihuitl,” ‘cabeza de viejo,” which is a textile 
plant, “‘devil’s brush” (cumbretum jacquini), ‘ ‘cua- 
jiote” (brusera aptera), yielding gums, resins, var- 
nishes; Chinese copal, ‘‘copal santo,’ “linaloe’’ 
(aloe), “hoja pinta,” a textile plant; bean of St. 
Ignatius (hula crepitans), “‘ixtle,” ‘‘majagua,” 


The Republic of Mexico ASI 


(hibicus tilicens), ‘‘nispero” (eriobobrya japonica), 
palm (brahea dulcis), a textile plant; “pita,” a tex- 
tile; “tecoxcochitl’’ (cachlospermum ibiscoides ) , pro- 
ducing a delicate fiber which is excellent for padding 
or filling; sarsaparilla, ‘‘yoyote’ (thevetia nerii- 
folia), “‘yoloxchitl” (talauma mexicana), which is 
used as medicine for heart troubles. 

All these are plants which only await an oppor- 
tunity to offer material for flourishing industries. 

Game is as plentiful in this State as it is in the 
State of Chiapas, with the difference that some spe- 
cies which are scarce there, are common in this sec- 
tion, such as bears, wolves, coyotes, tigers, also 
called “ocalotl’” and “huiduri,’ pumas, otters and 
others. 

Fishing is not of particular interest. It is only 
near the ports that any of it is done. Sponges are 
dived for at the ports of Salina Cruz and Puerto 
Angel, although to a much smaller extent than on the 
coast of the State of Chiapas. 


PUEBLA 


The most interesting industrial plants growing in 
this State are the following: ‘“‘azafrancillo,” which 
produces a valuable oil; ‘‘amate’’ (ficus nymphaei- 
folia), used as medicinal plasters; “‘chicalote,”’ which 
yields oil; ‘‘candelilla,” producing wax; “copalxi- 
huitl,” another wax-producing plant; “guajiote”’ 
(bursera aptera), growing in the region of Chi- 
autla; it is a poisonous plant yielding gum, resin 
and varnishes; “‘copal,”’ “‘copal santo,” both produc- 
ing incense; “‘linaloe” from which aloe is extracted; 
“estropajo” (luffa cylindrica), yielding mat-weed; 
“estafiate’’ (artemisia mexicana), of which a volatile 


482 The Republic of Mexico 


oil, resins and an anthelmintic fluid is extracted; 
‘“ouasima,” the bark of which produces a good fiber; 
the castor-oil plant, ‘‘ixtle,” “jonote,” a textile plant; 
“sangre de toro” (spigelia longiflora), a poisonous 
plant which could be used in medicine; “salvia” 
(buddleia perfoliata), used as a remedy against 
profuse sweating; ‘‘valeriana” (valeriana mexicana), 
growing plentifully in the region near the Valley of 
Mexico, being used in medicine as an antispasmodic. 

There is game in various regions of the State; 
deer in the northern section, and other species of 
large game in the southern parts of the State. 

Fishing could be engaged in to a larger extent in 
the rivers. 


QUERETARO 


The State has large plains such as those of Caza- 
dero, San Juan del Rio and Queretaro, this latter 
belonging to the region called “Bajio”’; in these 
plains a considerable number of plants grow which 
could be utilized in different industries. No use is 
made in this State of the “‘candelilla” of which there 
are large quantities; then there is plenty of “‘aza- 
francillo,” “‘anemona,” “‘anisillo”’ (two different spe- 
cies), ‘“‘azafran,” another ‘‘azafrancillo” (carthamus 
tinctorius), ‘‘aconito,”’ “‘barbas de chivo”’ (clematis 
dioica), “borraja’’ (cordia biossieri), ‘‘chia cimar- 
rona’’ (salvia pseudo chia), ‘‘cadillo,” ‘‘chicalote,” 
‘‘cerraja’ (taraxacum dens-leonis), “contrayerba”’ 
(psoralea pentaphylla), ‘‘damiana’’ (thurnera 
aphrodisiaca), ‘‘escoba,” “estafiate,”’ “‘ixtle,”’ ‘“‘hier- 
ba buena” (mentha rotundifolia), ‘“‘mostaza,” “no- 
rote,’ “otate,”’ “oregano,” “salyilla,”  rosiiars 
‘taray”’ (eisenhardtia orthocarpa), ‘te’ (bidens 


tetragona), “‘toronjil,” ‘“‘zabila,” and a number of 


te ee a a 


cs 


The Republic of Mextco 483 


other plants that can be industrialized in one way or 


_ the other. 


Hunting in this State offers excellent opportuni- 
ties; the following animals are found: deer, ‘‘al- 
bardon” (conepatus mapurito), black squirrel (sci- 
urus variegatus), several other kinds of squirrels, 
“ardillon” (spermophilus grammurus ), rabbits, hare, 
“mapache” or “‘tejon’”’ (procyon lotor), fox, etc. 

Many different species of birds are found in the 
forests, the most coveted of which is the wild turkey. 


QUINTANA Roo 


As we have already stated in another chapter, 
little is known concerning this territory; the land 
is not fully explored and only very small tracts are 
cultivated or partly exploited in other ways. The 
flora, of course, includes all those plants and trees 
which as a rule are found in tropical forests. 

The Indians of Quintana Roo are quite fond of 
hunting deer, rabbits, wild hogs, wild turkeys, and 
quails; pumas, tigers or leopards, tiger-cats, ma- 
caques and a number of other animals abound in the 
forests. In the estuaries several species of ducks, 
white herons, flamingoes and alligators are found. 

There is an abundance of fine fish along the coast. 
Lobsters, crabs, oysters, calamaries and pulps are 
also plentifully found. 


SAN Luis Potosi! 


The flora of San Luis is rich and varied, accord- 
ing to the three completely different zones which 
compose the State. The plants of present commer- 
cial and industrial application are already described 


484 The Republic of Mexico 


in other parts of this book; special attention should 
be called, nevertheless, to different plants, such as 
the “‘ixtle,”’ or fiber of the “‘lechuguilla” ; the prickly- 
pear tree which produces a fruit from which the 
popular “‘tuna’’ paste or jelly is prepared. 

Hunting is especially carried on in the tropical 
section of the State. In the valleys nearly all kinds 
of game have disappeared, and there is scarcely any 
left in the Salado section. In the Huasteca region 
many animals are hunted for their beautiful skins, 
as for example the puma, tiger, mountain cat and 
other species. This class of hunting is not without 
danger, but preferred by sportsmen for this reason. 

Fishing is carried on in the Huasteca section of 
the State, although as an industry it is not very 
important. 


SINALOA 


In order to give complete data in this chapter 
about the flora in the State of Sinaloa—and this is 
true also with regard to the other sections or States 
of Mexico—we should have to repeat all we have 
said regarding agricultural and forestal products. 
Some of the following industrial plants have already 
been mentioned before, others are less known or 
have been little used for industrial purposes; they 
are: “guapilla,’’ which yields an excellent fiber; 
“chilte,” which also grows plentifully in Nayarit and 
Jalisco and produces a gum similar to that employed 
in the manufacture of chewing gums; ‘“‘ramie,” a 
fiber-producing plant; flax, the useful fiber of which 
should be industrialized, for up to the present time, 
here as well as in the State of Sonora, the seed is 
made use of in the making of oil, and the fiber- 
yielding parts are thrown away; lechuguilla, the 


Pee ees Oe 


—— 
— 


The Republic of Mexico 485 


ixtle-producing plant, grows plentifully in the State; 
furthermore, yucca, anil, ‘‘orchilla,” sesame, 
“amate,” “azafrancillo,”’ ‘‘jaboncillo,” ‘“amole,” 
“calabacilla hedionda” (cucurbita foetidissima), ‘‘al- 
bahaca” (ocymum basilicum), ‘“‘peyote,” “‘borraja,” 


“bonete,” “‘balsamo,”’ “‘camichin,” “‘carrizo,” ‘“‘cuau- 
99 66 


99 66 


tecomate,” “‘chirimoya,”’ “‘coquito de aceite,” ‘“came- 
lote,” “clavellina,” “‘colorin,”’ ‘“tabaquillo,” ‘‘mos- 
queta,” “‘linaloe,’’ “nanche,” ‘“‘norote,” ‘‘pinon,”’ 


“palo de brea”’ (circidium unijuga), ‘palo amarillo,” 
“palma de San Pedro,” “palo de rosa,”’ “palo de 
fierro” (brya ebenus), ‘“‘retama’’ (cassia laevigata), 
“romero” (rosmarinus officinalis), ‘‘toloache,” and 
different species of “‘zacate,”’ or coarse grass, from 
which a number of articles can be manufactured or 
prepared, as medicinal beverages for example. 

Hunting is abundant in the State: among the large 
mammals we have: pumas, leopards, deer, brown 
and silver bears, wolves, short-tailed mountain cats, 
wild boars, otter, ‘‘mapache,” ‘‘tejon” (nasua na- 
rica). ‘Then there are rabbits, hares, different kinds 
of squirrels, etc. Among the birds we have: eagle 
(buteo borealis), wild turkey, wild fowls, quail, 
white heron, blue heron, several species of falcons, 
several kinds of macaws and parrots. ‘Then there 
are quite a number of fine singing birds. 

Fishing is abundant and comprises principally 
“cabrilla de artillero’”’ (mycteroperca jordani), 
“chopa rayada’”’ (logodon rhomboides), ‘tiburon 
volador” (carcharias aetalorus) and many other 
species. 


SONORA 


Besides the plants and trees that have been men- 
tioned in other chapters, the State produces all such 


4&0 The Republic of Meath 


plants as grow in the hot zone. There are: “ajon- 


joli,” or sesame, “‘bonete,” “peyote,” ‘“‘aciote’’ (bica 
orellana), “borraja,” “bruja” (eschscholtzia cali- 
fornia), “‘boochic’’. (cephalanthus occidentalis), 


flax, sorghum, ‘‘cadillo,”’ “‘cundeamor” (momordica 
charantia), ‘‘chilacayote’’ (cucurbita ficifolia), “‘cha- 
yote”’ (sechium edule), “‘cerraja’”’ (taraxacum dens- 


leonis), ‘‘chintoc’’ (hymenaea_ sp.), ‘‘escoba,”’ 
6¢ >] ce %9 2 

y 

garambullo, zacocon’’ (tabebuia guayacan) 

jojoba uamuchil, ie e rs 

Mrorobae sob hil,” ‘‘hierba del borracho,’ 


‘‘mimbre”’ (chylopsis saligna), black mustard, nettle, 
“otate,” ‘“‘otatillo,” “‘ojaranza”’ (carpinus betulus), 
‘“‘pajon” (sporobolus wrightii), “pino de azucar’’ 
(pinus lambertia), “pinon’’ (pinus cembroides), 
‘‘pino real’ (pinus montezumae), ‘“‘pitahaya,”’ “‘to- 
loache” and a good many other species. 

There is still plenty of game in the State; it is 
one of the few regions where far into the sierras 
and in the most solitary places buffaloes are still 
encountered, but they are becoming rarer every day; 
silver bear is more abundant in Sonora than in any 
other section of the country; brown bear is plentiful; 
pumas and other species of large game are also 
found. 

The fishing trade is quite active along the coast; 
the species of fish and other aquatic animals found 
here are about the same as those that prevail along 
the coast of Sinaloa. 


TABASCO 


We must repeat with regard to flora that, in 
order to give a detailed statement of all the plants 
growing in Tabasco, it would be necessary to enu- 
merate an infinite number of names. We will there- 
fore mention only the names of those species which 


The Republic of Mexico 487 


are of special industrial value. First of all there 
is the cocoa-plant from which the well-known fruit 
product as well as wine, cream, fiber are obtained. 
Then there is the indigo-plant which is abundant 
and from which an excellent dye material can be 
obtained; the same applies also to the ‘‘achiote”’ 
plant; then there are large quantities of the different 
species of rubber-trees; the ‘“‘anona palustris,” of 
the very same quality as exists in the State of Cam- 
peche and which is a substitute for cork; the quassia 
of Jamaica (picrasma excelsa), from which a tonic 
is obtained; the sapodilla-tree, from which the gum 
used in the chewing-gum industry is extracted; the 
‘“guasima’ (guasuma polibotrya), which, besides 
yielding an excellent wood, also furnishes textile 
material, that is, the bark of the tree; various kinds 
of lillies, from which paper can be made; the ‘“ma- 
callo” (andira excelsa), from the fruit of which a 
flour is made, which can be mixed with that of corn 
or wheat; the bark of this same tree is frequently 
used as a remedy for malaria; the two kinds of 
“pochote” which are cotton-producing trees; there 
is in England an enormous demand for the product 
of these trees; vanilla, which is in large demand in 
the country and abroad. ‘There are whole forests 
of ‘palo de moral” (mulberry-tree) and of numer- 
ous other species of trees which can easily be 
industrialized. 

The State of Tabasco abounds in every class of 
animal life. It is a beautiful sight to see number- 
less cattle grazing in the flats. Many kinds of wild 
animals belonging to the torrid zone live in the 
forests. 

Hunting is only occasionally engaged in by the 
people, although game is plentiful. 


488 The Republic of Mexico 


Fishing also is practised in the rivers, lakes and 
lagoons, as well as on the coast, where it is not a 
rare sight to see fishermen engaged in one of the 
commonest occupations of the Veracruz coast, viz.: 
““manattee’’ or seacow fishing. Several species of 
alligators abound in the rivers, but more so in the 
lagoons and estuaries. 


TAMAULIPAS 


The flora of the State of Tamaulipas, as far as 
its southern section is concerned, is similar to that 
of the Huesteca region of the State of San Luis 
Potosi; that of the central and northern section is 
much like the flora which prevails in the State of 
Nuevo Leon. The following vegetal species, as 
already mentioned in other parts of this book, offer 
splendid material for the establishment of perma- 
nent industries: “‘ceiba’”’ (eriodendron grandiflora), 
brazil-wood, campechea-wood, the different species 
of rubber-trees, ‘‘chilte,” ‘‘amate,” ‘‘azafrancillo,”’ 
‘‘algodoncillo” (inga sp.), “‘brasilete,” ‘“‘chicalote,”’ 
‘“chachamole,” “‘copalxihuitl,” ‘“chijol,” ‘‘cuaulote”’ 
(beliocarpus americanus), hemp (cannabis sativa), 
‘“chachaca”’ (grymis winter1), ““engordacabras”’ (da- 
lea tuberculata), striped ebony (diospyros velutina), 
“mulatto ebony” (calliandra formosa), ‘“‘granjena,”’ 
“ixtle,” “Jalapa’”’ (spomea purga), “hoja pinta” 
(samseviera zeylandica), ‘“‘norote’’ (epicampes ma- 
croura), “oregano,” “ojaranza” (carpinus betulus), 
‘‘pajon,” “parota,”’ “peru,” “palmito,” “palma’’ 
(yucca filamentosa), ‘“‘quina falsa’’ (exostema ca- 
caribaeum), “zapupe,”’ sisal hemp (agave rigida), 
“‘lechuguilla,”” sarsaparilla, “cedro’”’ (cedrela odo- 
rata). 


es 


The Republic of Mextco 489 


There is plenty and varied game in this State, in- 
cluding deer, puma, ounce (felis onca), mountain cat, 
rabbit, hare, and some other species. 

The fishing trade is very active in the Gulf of 
Mexico and in some of the rivers of the State. In 
the Conchas river the mother-of-pearl oyster and 
the tortoise-shell turtle are caught; other species 
include: various species of sharks (carcharias pla- 
tiodon and c. falciformis), “‘cazon’”’ (carcharinus 
cethalorus), ‘‘esmarrida”’ (smaris vulgaris), “rabir- 
rubia” (ocyurus chrysurus), “‘huauchinango’’ (lut- 
janus blackfordi), ‘“‘salema’’ (archosargus unima- 
dius), “‘mojarritas’” (geres mexicanus), ‘robalo 
comun” (labrax lupus), “gallineta” (serranus sp.), 
shrimps, dolphin seal (manochus tropicalis), mana- 
tee or seacow (manatus australis), large oysters 
(ostrea fron), oysters (ostrea virginica) and lamp- 
silis luteolus. 


TLAXCALA 


There is a great variety of plants in the large 
valleys of the State, the industrially valuable being: 
‘“‘maguey,’ which besides furnishing the beverage 
known as “‘pulque,” yields a fiber and can be used for 
the manufacture of paper; “tule” (thipha angusti- 
folia) grows on the shores of the Xonecuila lagoon 
and can be used for various manufacturing purposes, 
such as the making of mats, common chairs, bottle- 
casings, etc.; reed-grass (arundo donax) is also found 
in the lagoon and is useful for certain small indus- 
tries; osier (chylopsis saligna) is already used in- 
dustrially, and so is “taray’’ (salix taxifolia), the 
“candelilla,” bass or esparto grass (luffa cylindrica), 
“estafiate,” ‘“‘ixtle,” ‘jonote,” which is a textile plant; 
valerian, “broom grass,” “‘zacaton.”’ 


490 The Republic of Mexico 


There is relatively little hunting in the State; of 
what little there is, may be mentioned: the famous 
rabbits of the Volcano (romeolagus diazi), hares, 
deer, coyote. They are not very numerous, how- 
ever. Inthe Xonacuila lagoon there are wild duck. 

The fish consist of small sardines and some 
“huauchinango”’ (lutjanus blackford1). 


VERACRUZ 


The flora as well as the fauna of this State are 
extremely rich; they contain numberless species. As 
to the plant varieties we mention only those plants 
which have not been especially mentioned in the 
chapters on Agriculture and Forests; “yuca’ or 
‘‘ouacamote’’ (manihot utilissima), which is eatable; 
“mangle rojo” (rhizophora mangle), containing 
tannin; “‘ocotillo,” producing a resin; ‘‘alampeche’”’ 
(entada scandens), which grows along the seashore 
and is extremely poisonous; ‘‘peru,’’ which produces 
a gum; pulverized it is applied to ulcerating surfaces 
and to the unhealthy gums of the mouth; “‘pinon- 
cillo”’ (jatropha curcas), a very active and danger- 
ous purgative; ‘‘capomo,” a very useful fodder for 
the cattle; ‘“‘coyol baboso,” very useful in the manu- 
facture of paper; “‘nacaxtle”’ (pithocolobium sp.), 
used against the bites of poisonous animals; ‘‘za- 
pupe,” growing plentifully in the Huasteca region of 
the State; it is an excellent textile plant; ‘‘ramie,”’ 
‘“amate,”’ “‘chilte,’’ which produces rubber; “‘capal- 
xihuitl” and the “‘candelilla,” both of which produce 
an excellent wax; ‘“‘cuapinole,” castor-oil plant, both 
of which produce oil; “haba de San Ignacio’”’—St. 
Ignatius bean (hula crepitans), very poisonous; 
jalap, “‘malvavisco” (sida carpinifolia), both medic- 





The Republic of Mexico AGI 


inal plants; ‘“‘peine de mico”’ (apeiba toburbou(, cot- 
ton-trees or “‘pochote,” of which there are several 
species yielding cotton; “‘tecoscochitl,” a fiber-pro- 
ducing plant which has not yet been botanically 
classified, not at least definitely. There are num- 
berless other plants, trees, shrubs, etc., very little 
of which is known and that will probably have 
some industrial or commercial application in the 
future. 

Game is very abundant in the different sections of 
the State and includes several kinds of wild sheep, 
tapir, puma, leopards, different kinds of mountain 
cats, and in fact all such game as has been men- 
tioned in the case of other States that lie within the 
tropical zone. ‘Typical of this region are “hoco,”’ 
a species of pheasant (crax globicera) ; “‘garza ha- 
bada,” a kind of heron (tigrisoma cabanisi) ; ‘‘huitz- 
tlaucuache’’ (coendu americanum) ; ‘‘conejo de Pe- 
rote’’—Perote rabbit (lepus verae crucis) ; “‘cojolite”’ 
(penelope purpuracens), in the vicinity of Jalapa, 
especially. 

Fishing constitutes one of the common occupa- 
tions of the people of the State of Veracruz, espe- 
cially of those that live along the coast. Fishing is 
also engaged in in the large rivers of the State. 
The species of fish are the same as those mentioned 
in dealing with other States on the Gulf of Mexico. 
Several species of fish and alligators are caught in 
the Gulf, rivers, lagoons and estuaries. 


YUCATAN 


For the plants and trees of commercial and in- 
dustrial value in this State, we refer the reader to 
the chapters on Agriculture and Forests. 


492 The Republic of Mexico 


The Yucatan people are exceedingly fond of 
flowers and pay a great deal of attention to the 
cultivation of these in their gardens and all available 
pieces of ground. 

Hunting is practised mostly on the grounds of the 
large plantations where a permit of the owner of 
the plantation is required. In the forests of the 
State there are deer, wild hogs, rabbits, hares, arma- 
dillos, tigers, tiger-cats, pumas, quails, wild turkeys 
and other animals. An abundance of ducks, herons, 
alligators are found in the swamps, lagoons and 
estuaries. 

The sea along the Yucatan coast abounds in excel- 
lent fish, of which there is a great variety, as well as 
of shellfish, turtle, etc. Fish deserving special 
mention are: “mero,” a variety of the Mediter- 
ranean bass, the pompano, the “huachinango,” the 
ruffle, a fish resembling the salmon. Then there is 
an abundance of cuttle-fish, calamary, spiny, lob- 
ster, crabs and diverse species of turtles. In the 
estuaries we find the skate, the ‘“‘pochitoque,” a 
kind of green turtle, etc. Around the island of 
Alacranes the manatee is found, being a favorite 
game for hunters and fishers. 


ZACATECAS 


The plants of industrial application that grow in 
the State of Zacatecas, are: the sugar-cane, of which 
refined and brown sugar are obtained; ‘‘maguey,” 
from which ‘‘mezcal’’ wine is made; “‘lechuguilla,” 
which is very little utilized in the State; the “gua- 
yule,” the whole plant of which is extracted for the 
obtaining of rubber; a kind of “palma,” the fiber of 
which is used in the manufacture of cordage and 


a 
: 
| 
d 
3 





The Republic of Mexico 493 


similar goods. All these plants are very abundant in 
the State. 

Little game exists in this section of the country; 
some deer are found, coyotes, rabbits, hares and a 
few other species of game. 

Fishing in this State is of no importance whatever. 


CHAPTER XI 


RAILWAYS—RoAps—M aAI_t— TELEGRAPH— 
TELEPHONE 


Taken as a whole, the Mexican Republic has a 
fairly good network of railways; a number of States 
are well served, but others are entirely or very nearly 
so deprived of the enormous benefits which accrue 
from such modern and quite indispensable means of 
communication. In this case as well as in the other 
matters discussed in this book, we present all the 
conditions as they are in every single section or State 
of the Republic. 

The principal railroad lines, such as those that 
lead from the principal ports to the interior of the 
country, and those proceeding from the City of Mex- 
ico, towards other important cities, offer under nor- 
mal conditions fairly good facilities and comfort; 
Pullman cars travel regularly on the main lines. 

The principal railroad companies of the country 
are the following: The Mexican International; the 
Interoceanic; the Mexicano; the National Railways 
of Mexico; the Southern Pacific of Mexico; the 
Veracruz & Isthmus with their diverse affliated lines. 

As to the capital invested in these utilities most of 
it is American and English. 

Up to 1920 the lines in operation covered about 
25,800 kilometers; some new lines are under con- 
struction and the building of others are projected. 
This matter is further explained in the paragraphs 


494 


ee ee ee 





The Republic of Mexico 495 


referring to the different States. Since we indicate 
in this chapter all the railroad depots along the lines, 
these can easily be traced on the maps found in this 
book. 

We take special care in indicating all such new 
railroad lines as could be built, so as to show to con- 
cerns interested in this kind of enterprise and invest- 
ment, the opportunities offered in the different sec- 
tions of the Republic. 

In speaking of highways or roads we have par- 
ticularly in mind those that are suitable for the trafhc 
of motor vehicles, such as automobiles and trucks, 
etc. Many sections of Mexico, being greatly acci- 
dented, offer serious difficulties in the matter of build- 
ing roads for this modern system of trafic. “The 
Central Government of Mexico as well as the State 
Governments are doing earnest work in the way of 
building roads for automobile traffic; some new 
stretches of good road are continually added to those 
already existing, and there is no doubt that within 
a couple of years the country will possess an exten- 
sive system of highways of this kind. 

We think that the building of automobile roads 
by private enterprise would be a paying proposition, 
the necessary arrangements or contracts to be made 
with the Federal or the State Governments, as the 
case may be. People interested in this line of busi- 
ness should not fail to further investigate the matter. 

The Postal Service is very well organized in Mex- 
ico; even small villages have at least their mail 
agencies; all in all, there are about 3,000 post 
offices and postal agencies distributed all over the 
Republic. 

Telegraph wires connect all places of importance. 
The total extension of the telegraph line system may 


490 The Republic of Mexico 


be estimated as covering about sixty-eight to seventy 
thousand English miles. The entire telegraph sys- 
tem is operated by the Mexican Government. 

The Telephone service is in the hands of private 
concerns. The local telephone service may be called 
efficient, but the long distance telephone is not yet 
sufficiently developed. 

The Cable service is carried on via Galveston. 
All foreign telegraphic service is carried on by this 
line and will be so up to 1929, the Mexican Govern- 
ment being bound by contract with the Cable Com- 
pany not to send telegraphic messages to foreign 
countries by any other means. 

Conditions in this respect will be much more fav- 
orable after that contract will have expired, for then 
the many Wireless Stations existing already in differ- 
ent sections of the country and those the construction 
of which the Government contemplates will be of 
great help in expediting rapid communication with 
foreign countries. 

The wireless stations are wholly controlled by the 
Government and carry chiefly official communica- 
tions, but private messages for places within the 
Republic are also transmitted; these conditions will 
prevail, as already stated, until the expiration of the 
contract with the Cable Company. 


AGUASCALIENTES 


Railways.—The lines which traverse the State of 
Aguascalientes are: the railroad from Mexico to 
El Paso, which passes from South to North and is 40 
kilometers long within this State, with depots at Pen- 
uelas, Arellano, Aguascalientes, Chicalote, Las Ani- 
mas, Pebellon, Rincon de Romos, Punta and Soledad. 


ee ee ee ——— 





The Republic of Mexico 497 


The railroad from Aguascalientes to Tampico has 
an extension within the State of 83 kilometers, with 
depots at Chicalote, Canada, Callardo, El Tule, 
Loreto, Tauro and La Honda. The line from Rin- 
con de Romas to Cobre covers 17 kilometers and has 
depots at Julian and at Tepezala. 

New roads are needed in the western section of 
the State. he extension of the Tampico line west- 
ward would be of advantage for the transportation 
of lumber and the products of the cattle-raising in- 
dustry. 

Roads.—There are not many roads in the State 
of Aguascalientes that are suitable for automobile 
trafic; they will become necessary as soon as there 
are signs of increased economic development. An 
electric trainway serves the City of Aguascalientes. 

The Mail service of the State is fairly good and 
letters from the Capital reach the farthest towns of 
the State in very little time. 

Telegraph.—There are telegraph offices in the 
City of Aguascalientes, and also in Calvillos, Asien- 
tos, Tepezala and Rincon de Romos. 

Telephone.—The Capital of the State hasa rather 
limited telephone service. 


BAJA CALIFORNIA 


Railways.—Only one railroad, the Inter-Califor- 
nia, serves a portion of this Territory, with stations 
at the following points: Mexicali, Packard, Pas- 
cualitos, Sesbania, Cocopah, Hechicera, Vulca, Ba- 
taques, Tecolote, Paredones, Cuervo, Dieguinos, Al- 
gonones; its extension is 83 kilometers. 

Roads.—There are some highways, though not 
very long, between the principal.towns and farms. 


Ags The Republic of Mexico 


It would not be difficult to build good roads for the 
automobile traffic along the coast section which is 
flat. 

Mail.—The postal service is deficient, for mail by 
maritime route is governed by the arrival and depar- 
ture of ships, while the land routes are long and 
roundabout and require considerable time to reach 
the Territory. 

Telegraph.—Telegraph stations are operated at 
La Paz, Mulege, San Jose del Cabo, Todos Santos, 
Santa Rosalia, and Mexicali. 

Telephone.—There is no telephone service in the 
Territory. 


CAMPECHE 


Railways ——The State of Campeche enjoys the 
services of the West Division of the United Rail- 
ways of Yucatan; this Division maintains regular 
service between Merida, the Capital of the State of 
Yucatan and the Capital of the State of Campeche. 
There are two other trainways operated with the 
aid of animals. One of these lines, called Cam- 
peche Railroad, maintains communication between 
the city of Campeche and the Uyamon plantation; 
the other line, called Lerma Railroad, runs to the 
small sea resort of Lerma. The reader will find all 
the details concerning the Merida-Campeche line in 
the corresponding paragraph of the discussion of 
railway facilities regarding the State of Yucatan. 
The Campeche-Uyamon line covers 30 kilometers 
and has stations at several villages and farms. ‘This 
line, according to the concession granted, should run 
as far as the District of Los Chenes, but a con- 
siderable stretch has still to be built to carry out the 
terms of the contract; running towards the southern 





The Republic of Mexico 499 


part of the State, it is extremely important, since it 
can be considered the beginning of the much-desired 
and needed railway to the City of Mexico, crossing 
the State of Tabasco through a number of branch 
roads connecting with other States of the Republic, 
thus completing the national railroad system. We 
think there is here a splendid opportunity for rail- 
road builders who could make arrangements with the 
Federal Government to construct a whole net of 
railways which, we are certain, would bring the best 
of financial results. The Lerma line covers only 8 
kilometers and runs along the shore westward from 
the capital of the State, terminating at the summer 
and bathing resort of Lerma. 

Roads.—There is only one macadamized road in 
the State, leading from Campeche to Merida, Yuca- 
tan. Roads not always in the best of condition 
exist in the southern and western section of the State. 
Very much, indeed, has to be done in the matter of 
highways in this State, and any initiative shown in 
constructing them would be welcome to the State 
Government. 

M ail—Telegraph.—The mail and telegraph serv- 
ice is in the hands of the Federal Government. 
Stations, Agencies and Subagencies are to be found 
in all principal towns and villages throughout the 
State. 

In the town of Campeche there is a wireless sta- 
tion which maintains communication with the neigh- 
boring State of Yucatan. Of importance is also the 
submarine cable from the port of Campeche to the 
port of Veracruz. 

Telephone.—The State has no regular telephone 
service; a few lines are operated by private parties. 


500 | The Republic of Mexico 
CHIAPAS 


Railroads—The only railroad which at present 
operates in the State of Chiapas is that of the Pan- 
American which, starting from San Jeronimo, runs 
to Tapachula and Mariscal; it is also known by the 
name of Picacho-Suchiate line. It is 458 kilometers 
in length, and has the following depots: San Jero- 
nimo or Picacho, Ixtaltepec, Espinal, Juchitan, Sa- 
lineros, Union Hidalgo, Riqueza, Cerro Loco, Zopi- 
lote, Ostuta, Reforma, San Nicolas, Las Anonas, 
Chahuites, Guadalupe, San Ramon, Aurora, Jalisco, 
San Antolin, Tonala, Esmeralda, La Polka, Cabana, 
Santa Rosa, San Pedro, Los Patos, Mosquito, El 
Jerico, Novillero, Mapastepec, Sesocapa, Ulapa, Ar- 
gentina, Dona Maria, Esquintal, Zacualpa, Pueblo 
Nuevo, La Cuna, Huixtla, Chamulapa, Huehuetan, 
Cuapantes, Papayal, Santa Isabel, Tapachula, Los 
Toros, La Reforma, Cahuacan, El Dorado, Suchi- 
ate. This railroad runs from West to East. At 
Suchiate the line crosses the river, entering Guate- 
mala. There are two small branch lines, from To- 
nola to Puerto Arista, and another from the same 
town to the port of Puerto de San Benito. As in 
most parts of the country the locomotives use crude 
petroleum, called in the country “‘chapapote,” as fuel. 

New lines should be constructed in those parts 
where the soil is firm, such as at Soconusco, skirting 
the mountain of this same name; others should be 
constructed in the southeastern section, so as to 
place the towns of the coast in communication with 
those of the interior of the State; and, finally, roads 
are needed to the Capital, to San Cristobal, to 
Chiapa de Corzo, etc. When the State of Chiapas 


The Republic of Mexico Sor 


‘has proper means of communication and business 
men with sufficient capital, workers will go there 
from all parts of the country and from abroad. 

Roads.—A commencement is just being made to 
put roads into condition for automobile traffic, al- 
though the larger number of sugar and coffee-grow- 
ing estates already use tractors for their transporta- 
tion service. There is a causeway from Tapachula 
to San Jose de Guatemala, and in some parts of the 
State there are good roads of a similar nature. It 
is necessary to increase them to a very large extent 
either by private enterprise, in the interest of private 
parties, or with the aid of the Government for the 
common good. 

Mail—T elegraph—Telephone.—All these public 
services are very much behind the times. Only the 
principal towns are served by the national telegraph 
line, and along the railroad there are the lines of the 
railroad company, which only in exceptional cases 
are at the service of the public. 

There are no telephones in the State. 

The mail service encounters great difficulties and 
it usually takes days for letters to reach their desti- 
nation. 


CHIHUAHUA 


Railways. —The principal railroad line at present 
is the railway from Mexico City to El Paso or 
Ciudad Juarez. Within this State the line covers 
676 kilometers, having depots at Escalon, Asunsolo, 
Rellano, Corralitos, Dolores JinYenez, La Reforma, 
Diaz, Bustamante, Santa Rosalia, La Cruz, Concho, 
Saucillo, Armendariz, Las Delicias, Ortiz, Consuelo, 
Bachimba, Horcasitas, Mapula, Alberto, Morse, 
Tabaloapa, Chihuahua, Cuilty, Corral, Molinar, 


502 The Republic of Mexico 


Terrazas, Sauz, Pinale, Encinillas, Agua, Nueva, 
Laguna, Arados, Mocho, Loaeza, Gallego, El Sueco, 
Alsacia, Chivatito, Centauro, Moctezuma, Las 
Minas, Ojo Caliente, Carrizal, Ahumada, San Jose, 
Lucero, Rancheria, Carbonero, Candelaria, Los 
Medanos, Samalayuca, Tierra Blanca, Mesa, Ciudad 
Juarez. The railway from Jimenez to Rosario 
which will connect with the Durango line, already 
finished up to a point beyond Tepehuanes, has within 
the State of Chihuahua the following stations: 
Jimenez, Orion, Troya, Baca, Dorado, Morita, 
Adela, Gomera, Maturana, Parral, Zenzontle, 
Adrian, Borjas, Peinado, Guevas, Stalforth, Paloma 
and Rosario, extending over 155 kilometers in a 
direction from Northeast to Southwest; it has a 
branch line running from Adrian to Santa Barbara 
and extending over a distance of 8 kilometers. 

One hundred and forty kilometers of the Kansas 
City, Mexico and Orient Railroad are within this 
State and cover Tabalcapa, Cruceros, Bella Vista, 
Muller, Los Leones, Calera, Aldama, Las Tran- 
cas, Overton, Gomez, Hormigas, Encantada, San 
Sostenes, Picachos, Falomir, Marquez. 

The Sierra Division has depots at Minaca, Gon- 
zalez, San Francisco, Terrero, Vergel, Sigoyna, Pi- 
chachic, Ataros, Trevino, Tinaja, Talayotes, San 
Juanito, Cuesta Prieta, La Laja, Bocoyna, Aguatos, 
Creel, and Sanchez, extending over a distance of 120 
kilometers. Several new roads are being constructed, 
as for example the Escalon-Sierra Mojada line and 
others. 

There is another railroad line between Ciudad 
Juarez and Casas Grandes and plans are being 
worked out to connect all the railroad lines of the 
State. ‘The line which has to unite Ojinaga with the 


The Republic of Mexico 503 


port of Topolobampo in the State of Sonora is in 
the process of construction. 

Roads.—The State has also good highways, due 
especially to the fact that the lands are flat. Some 
of these roads are largely used for automobile 
traffic. 

Mail—Telegraph—Telephone-—The mail serv- 
ice is efficient only in the places located along the 
railroad lines; but in the case of other localities 
such as those situated in the heart of the Tara- 
humara section, it takes days and days for the mail 
to reach there. 

A considerable number of places in the State have 
telegraph service, but on the other hand it is still 
lacking in other places such as the villages situated 
in the Sierra Madre, where it is very much needed. 

Telephone service is maintained only in the towns 


of Chihuahua, Parral and Juarez. 


COAHUILA 


Railroads.—This State ranks first among all the 
States of the Republic in the matter of railroad 
lines, having about 2,900 kilometers of them. The 
principal lines run from East to West in an almost 
parallel direction; in the southern section of the 
State there is the Coahuila-Pacific line to Torreon; 
then across a plain, extending northward and slop- 
ing from East to West, there is the International 
Line from Piedras Negras to Torreon, starting from 
the station of Reata; then there is the practically 
completed line between Cuatro Cienegas and Sierra 
Mojada, also running in a direction from East to 
West. Between all these lines there are many 
branch lines connecting with important farms or 


5O4 The Republic of Mexico 


mines and which gradually will cover the whole 
State. There is, furthermore, the line from Coa- 
huila to Zacatecas which already runs as far as Con- 
cepcion del Oro, touching at several points of the 
latter State, which for the time being reaps most of 
the benefits of this new line. 

The following is a detailed statement concerning 
the railroad lines in the State of Coahuila: the rail- 
road from Laredo to Mexico, extends over sixty 
kilometers and touches at the stations of Gomez 
Farias, Encantada, Saltillo, Ramos Arizpe, Santa 
Maria, Rinconada; it runs from South to North. 
The Ferrocarril Central (Central R. R.) runs from 
South to North, 100 kilometers of it belonging to 
this State; its stations are: Jimulco, Picardias, Na- 
zareno and Torreon. ‘The line from Torreon to 
Piedras Negras has an extension of 303 kilometers 
in the direction of Monterrey, with stations at Tor- 
reon (Jameson and others in the State of Durango), 
Santo Nino, Santa Teresa, Concordia, San Pedro, 
Minerva, Talia, Pomona, Tizoc, Hipolito, Saucedo 
and Paredon. The branch line from San Pedro to 
Hornos has depots at Santa Elena, San Marcos and 
Hornos. From Empalme to Piedras Negras 383 
kilometers of the line are within the State of Coa- 
huila, with depots at Saucedo, Tortuga, Trevino, 
Reata, La Perla, Espinazo, Joya, Bajan, Gloria, Cas- 
tano, Fierro, Monclava, Estancia, Adjuntas, Tapado, 
Hermanos, Lampacitos, Aura, Barroteran, Sabinas, 
Blanco, Silencio, Allenda, Nava, Rio Escondido and 
Piedras Negras. ‘The branch line from Monclava 
to Cuatro Cienegas is 69 kilometers long; its sta- 
tions are: Monclava, Pezuelos, Nadadores, Laja, 
Cuatro Cienegas. A line from Cuatro Cienegas to 
Sierra Mojada is now under construction. The 





The Republic of Mexico 505 


branch line from Barroteran to Muzquiz extends 
over 14 kilometers with stations at Las Esperanzas, 
Menor, Palau, Muzquiz. ‘The branch line from 
Sabinas to Rosita covers 19 kilometers; it has 
stations at Agujita, Cloete and Rosita. The 
branch line from Saltillo to Reata extends over 101 
kilometers and has depots at Saltillo, Ramos Arizpe, 
Paredon, Anhelo, Reata. The Torreon-Tlahualilo 
line covers within the State of Coahuila 52 kilo- 
meters. The Coahuila-Pacific Railroad extends over 
301 kilometers, having depots at Encantada, Derra- 
madero, General Cepeda, Parras, Viesca, Hornos, 
Gilita and Torreon. Of the line from Saltillo to 
Concepcion, which is intended to go as far as Zaca- 
tecas, more than 60 kilometers have been already 
built. 

The following new lines are being constructed: 
the above-mentioned Saltillo-Zacatecas line, the 
Cuatro Cienegas-Sierra Mojoda line, the Sierra Mo- 
jada-Chihuahua line and the Saltillo-Arteaga line, 
all of them of great importance to the State. 

Roads.—The highways of the State, although not 
exactly built for that purpose, are being utilized for. 
automobile traffic. 

Mail—Telegraph—Telephone.—Due to the abun- 
dance of means of communication the postal service 
in this State is one of the best in the Republic. 

There is good federal telegraph service in the 
principal towns and haciendas or large landed 
estates, and in exceptional cases, the lines of the 
railroads are made use of. 

Telephone companies are operating at Saltillo, 
Monclava, Allende, Piedras Negras, San Pedro de 


las Colonias, Muzquiz, Parras and Torreon. 


500 The Republic of Mexico 
COLIMA 


Railroads.—This State has only one railroad line: 
the Guadalajara-Manzanillo R. R., serving the ter- 
ritory of this State a short distance beyond Que- 
seria, and covering the following points within the 
Colima State: Queseria, Fernandez, Alzada, 
Huerta, Salvador, Estancia, Colima, Balcon, Coqui- 
matlan, Jala, Madrid, Caleras, Tecoman, La Bacula, 
Periquillo, Armeria, Cuyutlan, Campos, Manzan- 
illo. The above railroad extends over 125 kilo- 
meters within the State of Colima. Best results 
could be expected from new lines or branch lines 
to different parts of the State, helping to provide 
an outlet for the natural products. Furthermore, a 
line connecting this State with towns of the State of 
Michoacan would be very useful. 

Roads.—One highway crosses the State of Co- 
lima, coming from Guadalajara and extending as 
far as Manzanillo. New automobile roads between 
Colima and the principal towns of the State would 
be very useful. 

Mail—T elegraph—T elephone.—M ail service is 
regular along the railroad line; in the rest of the 
State it is reliable but slow. 

The Federal Telegraph has offices in Colima, 
Manzanillo, Comala, Mamey, Tepames, and Villa 
Alvarez. At Manzanillo there is also a wireless 
station. There is no telephone service in the State. 


DIsTRITO FEDERAL 


Railways —The City of Mexico is the meeting 
point of a number of railroads: Of the Mexico- 
Laredo line less than 14 kilometers are within the 





The Republic of Mexico 507 


District as are also 17 kilometers of the Mexico- 
Acambaro line; then there is the Mexico-El Paso 
line; the Mexico-Pachuca line; this line is used also 
by the so-called milk trains which come in twice a 
day; there is, furthermore, the Mexico-lrapuato- 
Guadalajara line; the Mexico-Balsas line, which ex- 
tends over a distance of 47 kilometers within the 
District; the Mexico-Beristain line, with some 25 
kilometers within the boundaries of the Federal Dis- 
trict; the Mexico-Veracruz line, the Mexico-Ozum- 
ba-Veracruz line and the Mexico-San Rafael-Xico 
line. 

The Federal District has a splendid net of electric 
railways, running within the City and connecting this 
with the principal towns and villages of the District. 
At present there are electric lines between Mexico and 
Xochimilco with a branch to Tulyehualco, from Mex- 
ico to Tlalpam, to Coyoacan, San Angel, Mixcoac, 
Tacubaya, Tizapan, Ixtapalapa, La Venta (Desierto 
de los Leones), Tacuba, Atzcapozalco, Panteon Es- 
panol (Spanish Cemetery) Guadalupe Hidalgo. 
The Mexico-Xochimilco train stops at the following 
stations: Hospicio, Nativitas, Zacahuizco, Ladril- 
lera, Portales, Country Club, Taxquena, Xotepingo, 
San Antonio Coapa, Hacienda de Coapa, Santa Ur- 
sula, Huipulco, and Tepepam; it has an extension of 
24 kilometers. From Xochimilco the trains run 
southward as far as Tulyehualco, stopping at San 
Pedro, Nativitas, Espinazo, Santa Cruz, San Gre- 
gorio, San Luis, and Tulyehualco; from Huipilco 
a train goes westward touching at Tlalpam. ‘The 
City itself is crossed by a large number of lines. 

Roads.—There are a number of fine roads for the 
trafic of automobiles, such as the Mexico-Tacuba- 
Atzcapozalco road, the Mexico-Churubusco- Tlalpam 


508 The Republic of Mexico 


road and a highway to Coyoacan and San Angel, 
the Mexico-San Angel road passing through Mix- 
coac, the Mexico-Tacabaya-San Angel road passing 
through Mixcoac, the Mexico-Tacubaya-San Angel 
road, the road from Mexico to the Desierto de los 
Leones (the lion’s desert), the Mexico-Guadalupe- 
Hildalgo road, the Mexico-Guernavaca road, the 
Mexico-Queretaro road, the Mexico-Puebla road. 
All these roads are frequented by a large number of 
automobiles and motor trucks; especially beautiful is 
the Tacuba-Chapultepec avenue. 

Mail—Telegraph—Telephone—The City of 
Mexico is the center of the mail and telegraph sys- 
tems of the Republic. 

The General Direction of Telegraphs is situated 
in the beautiful Palace of Communications; from 
this wires run to all parts of the country; the service 
is very well attended to. The cable company has 
its own telegraph wires. 

The City is served by two large telephone com- 
panies with tens of thousands of subscribers within 
and without the City. 

In the vicinity of the Chapultepec Castle there 
are a number of wireless telegraph towers, consti- 
tuting an extremely powerful receiving and sending 
station. 

The postal service is very good. The central 
ofices are located in a special building, one of the 
finest of its kind in the world; there are also a num- 
ber of post offices distributed all over the city. 


DuRANGO 


Railways.—The Ferrocarril Internacional owns 


the main line from Durango to Torreon and to _ 


1 
| 
j 
. 
q 





The Republic of Mexico 509 


Piedras Negras, and various branch lines from Cani- 
tas to Tepehuanes and to Llano Grande. ‘The 
Central Railroad also has some branches which, like 
the former, are described below. 

The Central Railroad runs from South to North, 
crossing San Juan de Guadalupe and Mapimi. Its 
principal depot is Gomez Palacio. A junction is 
effected with it by the branch lines from Conejos to 
Descubridora (135 kilometers) and from Berme- 
jillo to Mapimi (42 kilometers), which run from 
East to West, and from West to East respectively ; 
also from Bermejillo to Dinamita (20 kilometers), 
which run from East to West. The principal depots 
on the Central are: Gomez Palacio, Bermejillo, Ja- 
ral, Conejos, Yermo, and Cevallos, in Mapimi, and 
Timon, in San Juan de Guadalupe. The International 
Railroad is 249 kilometers long with depots in 
Aviles, La Goma, La Loma, Trinidad, Pedricena, 
Pasaje, Yerbaniz, Noria, Catalina, Tapona, Gabriel, 
Chorro, Labor, and Durango, which is the terminal 
station; it has the Canitas branch line with 100 
kilometers of track in the State and the following 
stations: Tuitan, Pajaritos (Poanas), Muleros and 
Suchil. The branch of Tepehuanes which joins the 
line coming through Parral, is 211 kilometers long 
and runs from Southeast to Northwest, with sta- 
tions at Carpintero, Cacaria, Canatlan, Guatinape, 
Chinacates, Santiago Papasquiaro and Tepehuanes; 
a branch line to Llano Grande, on the Mazatlan 
road, is in the process of construction already ad- 
vanced beyond Llano Grande, a distance of about 
150 kilometers. Thirty kilometers of track railroad 
of a line running from Parral with a depot at Ro- 
sario, now called Villa Ocampo, are within this State. 
The railroad which runs from Gomez Palacio to 


5I0 The Republic of Mexico 


Zaragoza (formerly Tlahualilo), a branch of the 
Central line, has 96 kilometers of track. The rail- 
road to Mazatlan (reaching beyond Llano Grande) 
and that of Parral (up to a point beyond Tepe- 
huanes on the south and Rosario in the north are 
under construction. Plans for a lumber-hauling track 
from Suchil to Michis and an ore-carrying railway 
from Suchil to Noria de San Pantaleon, in the State 
of Zacatecas, are now being worked out. 

Lines are especially needed in the Sierra Madre 
section and on the steppes of Cuencame and Inde. 
What is greatly needed in these sections is to put 
some of the highways into such condition as to allow 
of automobile trafic, which would provide a means 
of easy and rapid means of communications. Auto- 
mobile roads can be constructed between Durango, 
Canatlan and San Juan del Rio, Durango and Nazas, 
Tapona and Juan Perez. 

Mail—Telegraph—Telephone.—In the city of 
Durango there are telephone lines serving the town, 
and lines which link up Durango with practically all 
the nearby haciendas, such as Navacoyan, Labor de 
Guadalupe, Alcalde, Ferreria, El] Chorro, San Sal- 
vador, and others on the banks of the Tunal and in 
the Valley of Guadiana. There are also lines to 
Gabriel and to Tapona, and from there to Juan 
Perez and other places. There are telegraph offices 
in all the principal towns of the State (Durango, 
Gomez Palacio, Lerdo, Mapimi, Cuencame, San 
Juan de Guadalupe, Nombre de Dios, San Juan del 
Rio, Nazas, El Oro, Inde, Santiago Papasquiaro, 
Topia, San Dimas, Pueblo Nuevo, Muleros, Suchil 
and Mezquital). Along the railway lines there are 
telegraph stations at all the depots, although these 
can be used by the public in exceptional cases only. 





The Republic of Mexico SII 


A wireless station is being constructed and will 
probably be finished by the time of the publication 
of this book, in the city of Durango, on the small 
eminence called the Hill of Calvary. 

The Mail Service is excellent in those places which 
are located on or near the railways. ‘There are 
some towns where letters are delivered by rural mail 
carriers (such as Pueblo Nuevo, San Dimas, Topia, 
Tanazula and others), after eight days of travel. 


GUANAJUATO 


Railways.—This State is served by some railroad 
lines, although there are still considerable areas in 
several sections of the State which enjoy no such ad- 
vantage. he principal lines, part of which are 
within the State of Guanajuato, are the following: 
the Mexico-Laredo line, which touches at the sta- 
tions of Mariscala, Cosio, Jocoque, Manuel, Em- 
palme de Gonzalez, Comonfort, Rinconcillo, El 
Tunel, Bogona, San Miguel de Allende, Taboada, 
Atotonilco, La Petaca, Tequisquiapam, Dolores Hi- 
dalgo, Rincon, Pena Prieta, Trancas, Obregon, San 
Felipe, Chirimoya, Cartagena, Jaral de Berrio, hav- 
ing an extension of 187 kilometers. Of the Mexico- 
Acambaro line covering a distance of 59 kilometers 
in this State it has the depots of Tarandacuao, San 
Jose, Providencia, Banos Calientes, Acambaro, Cos- 
tura, Alvarez and Andocutin. The railroad from 
Jaral del Valle to Salamanca and Guanajuato has an 
extension of 55 kilometers in its section from Ira- 
puato to Jaral, with depots at Irapuato, Chico, Sala- 
manca, Los Lobos, Garma, Valle de Santiago, 
Covadonga, Grande, La Bolsa, Jaral del Valle. The 


branch line from Irajuato covers a distance of 54 


412 The Republic of Mexico 


kilometers with depots at Irapuato, Vieyra, Villa- 
lobos, Silao, Marfil, Guanajuato. The branch line 
from Irapuato to Empalme de Gonzales has a length 
of 71 kilometers and stations at Irapuato, Chico, 
Salamanca, Cerro Gordo, Santa Cruz, Marquez, 
San Elias, San Juan de la Vega and Gonzalez. The 
branch line from Acambaro to Empalme Gonzalez 
is 86 kilometers long and has depots at Acambaro, 
Silva, Betti, Manzana, San Cristobal, San Augustin, 
Guzman, Salvatierra, Corral, Banales, Cascalote, 
Ojo Seco, Ramayo, Celaya, Santa Rita, Mendoza, 
San Juan de la Vega, Soria, Gonzalez. The branch 
from Rincon to Villa de Pozos extends over a length 
of 60 kilometers, having depots at Rincon, Monte- 
longo, Lourdes, San Luis de la Paz, Pozos. Of the 
Mexico-El Paso line 162 kilometers of track are laid 
within this State and connect the following stations: 
Mariscala, Apasco, Celaya, Crespo, Guaje, Sarabia, 
Salamanca, Chico, Irapuato, Vieyra, Villalobos, 
Silao, Napoles, Trinidad, Leon and Francisco. A 
little over 72 kilometers of track of the Mexico- 
Guadalajara line belong to this State with stations 
at several points which at the same time form part 
of the Mexico-Laredo line as far as Irapuato; from 
there on it has stations at Charcos, Covarrubis, 
Rivera, Joaquin, Abasolo, Corralejo, Penjamo, Vil- 
lasenor, Palo Verde, and Cortes; the 72 kilome- 
ters given above must be counted from the sta- 
tion of Irapuato. Of the branch line from Pen- 
jamo to Ajuno the State of Guanajuato has depots 
at Penjamo, Barajas, La Calle and Tres Mez- 
quites. Of the Acambaro-Queretaro line 44 kilo- 
meters are within this State, with depots at Guada- 
lupe, Jaral, Santa Rosa, Agustinos, Salitrera, Ojo 
de Agua and Jerecuaro. This last line is still under 





The Republic of Mexico Cy a 


construction, for its terminal will be the city of 
Queretaro. 

A profitable undertaking would be the construc- 
tion of the following new railroad lines: Guana- 
juato-Gonzalez (60 kilometers), Guanajuato-San 
Miguel Allende (50 kilometers), Gonzalez-San 
Diego de la Union (40 kilometers), Gonzalez- 
Ocampo (30 kilometers). At least the highways 
between places just named should be put in a proper 
condition for the automobile and motor truck traffic, 
which would greatly increase the prosperity of the 
above-named section. 

Mail—T elegraph—T elephone.—The postal serv- 
ice is quite efficient, even in places not located on the 
railroad lines, for in most cases they are not far 
away from these lines. 

The majority of the towns, villages and settle- 
ments have telegraph offices in this State; telephone 
service is also quite extended in the State, the present 
tendency being to add more and more miles of tele- 
phonic wires all over the State. 


GUERRERO 


Railways —This State has no railroad except 
a portion of the Mexico-Balsas line for a distance 
of 103 kilometers, with depots at the following 
places: Cajones, Santa Fe, Vista, Pimentel, Los 
Amates, Naranjo, Coculo, Apipilulco, Oleo, Arroz, 
Balsas. 

The geographic features of this State made the 
construction of railroads very difficult and expensive, 
but, on the other hand the natural wealth of this 
State is so great that the building of railways, indis- 
pensable for the systematic development of this part 


514 The Republic of Mexico 


of Mexico, will eventually prove a perfectly paying 
proposition. 

Roads.—There are a few highways in the State, 
as for example the one leading from Chilpancingo to 
Iguala which is utilized for automobile and motor- 
truck traffic, and another road from Chilpancingo to 
Acapulco. 

Mail—T elegraph—T elephone.—The postal serv- 
ice is deficient in this section of the Republic, with 
the exception, of course, of those places which are 
located along the railroad line and such localities as 
are not far away fromit. Nor is telegraphic service 
satisfactory. ‘There are telegraph offices at Chil- 
pancingo, Iguala, Acapulco, Huamuxtitlan and in a 
a few other places. 

The telephone is just beginning to be utilized in 
some places of the State. 


HIDALGO 


Railways.—First among the railways of this State 
is the Mexico-Pachuca line. This leaves the City of 
Mexico and enters the State of Hidalgo at Teocalco; 
it has depots at Jaltocan, Temascalapa, Terreros, 
Tellez, Pitahaya, Hoyos and Pachuca; about 60 
kilometers of this line are within the limits of this 
State. The track from Tula to Pachuca is 71 kilo- — 
meters in length, and passes through Tula, Iturbide, 
Teocalco, Tlaxecapan, Tetepango, Valentin, El Gor- 
rion, Rosal, ‘Temoyaya, Tecamatl, Concepcion and 
Pachuca. ‘The line from Tellez to Honey is 95 kilo- 
meters long and has depots at Tellez, Sandoval, 
Metepec, Zontecomat, Somorriel, Cuyamaloya, Pax- 
tepec, Tepenacasco, Tulancillo, Anita, Panfilo, Ca- 
nales, and Honey. The track from Berestain (State 





The Republic of Mexico 515 


of Puebla) traverses the State of Hidalgo and 
passes these points: Tezontepec, Relinas, San Augus- 
tin, Pepa, Pueblillo, Tecajete, Somorriel, San Joaquin, 
Las Lajas, Los Romeros, Otlimulco and Ventoquipa. 
From Ventoquipa to Apulco there is a line which ex- 
_ tends over 35 kilometers, with depots at Ventoquipa, 
Santiago, Tulancillo, Sostlan, Tortugas and Apulco. 

There is a project to connect Berestain with Tam- 
pico and make the line pass through a very rich 
section of the State of Hidalgo. The Huasteca sec- 
tions at present are short of railway lines and need 
them in order to transport rapidly their products 
and increase industrial activity, which at present 
does not yield the return it should. 

Roads.—There are no good roads for auto trucks; 
these could be built not only in the Apam plains, 
where they would be of great service in transporting 
local products to the railway lines, but they might 
also be run between Tula and Tulancillo and other 
towns. 

Mail—T elegraph—Telephone.—The post offices 
give good service in this State, with the exception of 
those places which are located in the heart of the 
Huasteca section, such as Huejutla and others, to 
which it takes three or four days for correspondence 
to arrive. 

Pachuca, Tulancillo, Real del Monte, Tula, Hue- 
jutla, Zacualtipan, Apam, Tenango and other towns 
have telegraph lines which are part of the Federal 
System. In the City of Pachuca, Tula, Tulancillo, 
Real del Monte, Zimapam, Zacualtipan and various 
haciendas there are telephone lines which are con- 
nected with the telephone systems of the City of 
Mexico. There is another telephone company in the 
City of Pachuca. 


SYO 2 r The Republic of Mexico 
JALISCO 


Railroads.—Taking into consideration the needs 
of this State, its railway facilities are inadequate. 
First of all we shall mention the Mexico-Guadala- 
jara, via Irapuato, line with stations at Salamea, La 
Barca, Feliciano, Limon, Ocotlan, Poncitlan, Con- 
stancia, San Jacinto, Corona, Atenquiza, La Capilla, 
El Castillo, Kings, La Junta, Guadalajara; this line 
extends over 110 kilometers. The Guadalajara- 
Manzanillo line, extending over a distance of 218 
kilometers within the State of Jalisco, has stations 
at Guadalajara, La Junta, El Cuatro, Orozco, Tla- 
jomulco, Flores, Tepetates, Mazatepec, Valencia, 
Balastre, Santa Ana, Catarina, Zacoalco, Verdia, 
Techalota, Cofradia, Carmelita, Sayula, Quemada, 
Nicolas, Manzano, Providencial, Ciudad Guzman, 
Huescalapa, Zapotitlic, Tuxpan, Quito, Platanar, 
Higueras, Villegas, Tonilite. The branch line from 
Ocotlan to Atotonilco is 35 kilometers long and has 
depots at Ocotlan, Zula, Alcalde, Navarro, and Ato- 
tonilco. The branch line from Guadalajara to 
Ameca has a length of 90 kilometers, with depots at 
Guadalajara, Jocotan, La Venta, Primavera, Oren- 
dain, Refugio, Cuicillos, Pacaha; the branch from La 
Vega to San Marcos extends over 46 kilometers and 
has stations at La Vega, Carmen, Ahuahualulco, 
Estanesta, Etzatlan, Barcenas, San Marcos. The 
branch line from Guadalajara to La Capilla has a 
length of 33 kilometers. 

The great project to connect the center of the 
country with the States situated on the Pacific coast 
by railway will have its starting point at the City of 
Guadalajara. ‘The construction of this system is 
already well under way, but the greatest difficulties 





The Republic of Mexico 517 


from the engineering standpoint still remain to be 
overcome, viz., the crossing of the Sierra Madre. 

Another railroad line in this State is the one run- 
ning to Juanacatlan with stations at El Salto, Esta- 
cion, E] Castillo, Guadalajara. 

The State has a branch line on the Mexican South- 
ern Pacific Railroad from Guadalajara to Orendain, 
touching at Magdalena, Cuervo, Tequila, Amatit- 
lan, Quiteria and Arenal, extending over 60 kilo- 
meters. 

A new railroad is planned between the City of 
Guadalajara and the small port of Chamela on the 
Pacific, but construction work has not yet started. 

There are still regions in the State which have 
no ready means of communication, as, for instance, 
the southwestern and northern sections. The east- 
ern part of the State is crossed at several points by 
the Mexico-E] Paso Railroad, covering about 100 
kilometers, the stations being Pedrito, Loma, Lagos, 
Mira, Los Salas, Castro, Doble, Santa Maria, En- 
carnacion de Diaz and Tigre. 

Roads.—Automobile roads should be constructed 
from Sayula to Tamazula (40 kilometers), from 
Sayula to Atoyac (15 kilometers), from Sayula to 
San Gabriel (25 kilometers), from San Gabriel to 
Autlan (100 kilometers), from Ameca to San Mar- 
tin (15 kilometers), from San Martin to Cocula 
(15 kilometers), from Ameca to Mascota (110 
kilometers), from Mascota to Talpa (28 kilome- 
ters), from Ahualulco to Tequila (20 kilometers), 
from Guadalajara to Yahualica (112 kilome- 
ters), from Encarnacion to ‘Teocoltiche. (35 
kilometers), from this place to Mexticacan (20 kilo- 
meters), from Lagos to San Juan (40 kilometers), 
from this place to Jalostitlan (12 kilometers), from 


518 The Republic of Mexico 


here to San Miguel El Alto (12 kilometers), from 
Atotonilco to Arandas (28 kilometers), from Ato- 
tonilco to Tepatitland (32 kilometers), from Gua- 
dalajara to Magdalena (160 kilometers), from 
Magdalena to Bolanos (40 kilometers), from Bo- 
lanos to Totache (30 kilometers), from here to Co- 
lotlan (25 kilometers), from Colotlan to Mezquitic 
(25 kilometers), and from this last place to Hueju- 
quilla (24 kilometers). These last places are nearer 
to the railroads of the State of Zacatecas, being 140 
kilometers away from the nearest station which is 
Fresnillo. 

All these regions are very rich and roads we have 
just mentioned are necessary to facilitate the export 
of the local products. ' 

Mail—T elegraph—Telephone.—The mail serv- 
ice 1s very satisfactory in this State, with the excep- 
tion of the places in the northern section. Most of 
the places we have mentioned above are served 
by the Federal Telegraph System and by the lines of 
the railroads. A fairly good telephone net is being 
gradually established in the larger towns of the 
State, in fact, all over the State. 


MEXICO 


Railways.—tIn spite of the fact that the State of 
Mexico to a great extent encloses the Federal Dis- 
trict, thus profiting more or less by all the railway 
lines which start from the City of Mexico in every 
direction, roads are still wanting in the southern 
part.and in the Valley of Toluca. 

As to the roads which touch parts of this State 
we have: the Mexico-Toluca line which extends over 
164 kilometers and has the following depots: Laurel, 





The Republic of Mexico 5I9 


San Martin, La Cima, Salazar, Carretera, Fresno, 
Jalapa, Maclovio, Herrera, Lerma, Dona Rosa, 
Toluca, Palmillas, Presa, Mina Mexico, Del Rio, 
Ixtlahuaca, Tepetitlan, Solis, Tepetongo, Agua 
Buena and Colorado. The Mexico-Laredo and the 
Mexico-El Paso lines have 35 kilometers within this 
State and the following stations: Tlalnepantla, Bar- 
rientos, Lecheria, Cuautitlan, Teloyucan and Hue- 
huetoca. ‘The line to Xico lies for some distance in 
the State of Mexico. The Veracruz Railroad runs 
for 60 kilometers within the State of Mexico, touch- 
ing at the stations of San Vicente, Gonzalez, Cha- 
pingo, Texcoco, San Andres, Escudero, Robles, An- 
tonio, San Juan de Teotihuancan, Metepec, Otumba, 
Victor, Aguatepec and Campero. 

The State is also crossed, although for a short 
distance only by the railway from Mexico City to 
Cuautla with stops at Cima, Toro and Tres Marias. 

Roads.—A road for automobile traffic, although 
not in a very good condition, exists between the City 
of Mexico and the City of Toluca, and there are 
similar roads between the City of Toluca and several 
large ranches in the neighborhood. On the whole, 
all the roads extending from the City of Mexico 
towards the north of the Republic are utilized for 
automobile traffic. Very likely the public highways 
in general will be greatly improved in order to make 
them available for this modern system of communi- 
cation. 

Mail—Telegraph—Tcelephone.—The postal serv- 
ice is very regular, the towns and settlements receiv- 
ing their mail with the desired promptness, with the 
exception of the southern region, where the delivery 
of mail is very much delayed. 

Every important town in the State of Mexico 


4520 The Republic of Mexico 


has its telegraph office, and is fairly well served by 
local telephone lines as well as by the two companies 
established in the City of Mexico. 


MICHOACAN 


Railroads—As has already been stated repeat- 
edly the State of Michoacan feels the need of rapid 
communication. The lines which at present are used 
in exporting its wealth are relatively few compared 
with what are needed in so rich a region. Ejghty- 
six kilometers of the railway from Mexico to Acam- 
baro are within this State, with railway depots at 
Mayor, Madera, Pateo, Pomoca, Marravatio, San 
Antonio, Ziritzicuaro, Tarandacuac, San Jose, Pro- 
videncia, Banos Calientes, and Acambaro. Up to 
Maravatio this railway line runs in a northerly direc- 
tion, and from this point it bends round to the south- 
west and extends as far as Acambaro. 

The trains on this line go from Acambaro to 
Uruapan in a southwestern direction, following a 
somewhat zigzag course; there are the following 
stations: Costura, Alvarez, Andocutin, Huingo, 
Coro, Querendaro, Zinzimeo, Quirio, Charo, La 
Goleta, Atapaneo, Morelia, La Huerta, Monter- 
rubio, Jacuaro, Noriega, Coapa, Lagunilla, Fonte- 
zuela, Chapultepec, Playa, Pazcuaro, Charuhuen, 
Bonilla, Ajuno, Lopez, Ajambasan, Jujucato, ‘Taras- 
con, Puranguitiro, Gonuy, Las Palomas, Aristeo, 
Santa Catarina and Uruapan. The distance between 
Acambaro and Uruapan is 224 kilometers. ‘The 
railroad from Maravatio to Zitacuaro is go kilo- 
meters long and has the following stations: Mara- 
vatio, Chamuco, Canedo, Senguio, Tarinero, Irimbo, 
Aporo, Alvarado, Arguello, Oyamel, Sanido, La 





The Republic of Mexico 4521 


Junta, Angangueo, Trojes, Ocampo, Hernandez, 
Tuzpan, Sirehuato, Ocurio, Curungnee and Zita- 
cuaro. The State of Michoacan is served by several 
stopping points of the Guadalajara line; as La 
Piedad, Yurecuaro, Penjamo. There is a line from 
Ajuno to Penjamo 136 kilometers long, which has 
depots at Penjamo, Barejas, La Calle, Tres Mes- 
quites, Los Angeles, Villachuato, Moluco, Mira- 
valle, Tunillas, Curimeo, Punindicuaro, Carranza, 
Los Espinos, ariacuri, Juapa, Zacapu, Ortega, 
Cortijo, Comanja, Escobillas, Opongio, Erongari- 
cuaro, Ajuno. The railroad from Yurecuaro to Los 
Reyes is a branch line of 138 kilometers in length 
and has depots at Yurecuaro, Verduzco, Las Fuen- 
tes, Falconi, Torcazas, Lopez, Ingenio, Zamora, 
Ario, Davalos, Chavinda, Moreno, Balastrera, Gua- 
racha, Angel, Tarecuato, Centeno, Mercado, Tin- 
guindin, Espuela and Los Reyes. 

New railroads, serving the Southern Plateau 
would be of extreme advantage. Some difficulties 
are offered by the geographic features of the coun- 
try, but they are not insuperable, and all efforts made 
in this direction would be most amply rewarded. 

Roads.—The need of roads for automobiles is 
also very great. There is at present the proposal to 
construct roads of this kind between Uruapan and 
various places in the south of the State. The con- 
struction of these would in a measure compensate 
for the lack of railways but railroads, of course, 
would be far better. 

Mail—Telegraph—Tclephone——The State is 
poor in facilities of this kind. The City of Morelia 
has its own telephone service, and two companies of 
Mexico City have several telephone stations in Tlal- 
pujahua. There are telegraph offices only in the 


ae The Republic of Mexico 


large towns, such as Morelia, Uruapan, Maravatio, 
Zitacuaro, La Piedad, Cabadas, Zamora and in a 
few other places. 

The mail department is still more deficient as 
regards service, and for letters from the south to 
reach their destination it takes more than a fort- 
night. 

MorELOos 


Railways. —Within the State of Morelos are 120 
kilometers of the Mexico-Balsas Railroad; the sta- 
tions are: Toro, Tres Marias, El Parque, Alarcon, 
Ramon, Cuernavaca, Mango, San Vicente, Chicon- | 
coac, Tetecalita, Treinta, Juan Pagaza, Hermosa, 
Vidal, Puente de Ixtla and Amor. Of the railroad 
from Mexico City to Ozumba, Cuautla and Puente 
de Ixtle, 118 kilometers of track are within this 
State, with the stations of Retorta, La Cascada, 
Cerro, Yocapixtla, Cuautlixco, Santa Ines, Cuautla, 
Casasano, Calderon, San Carlos, Lister, Oacalco, 
Yautepec, Atlinuayan, Ticuman, Alejandra, To- 
milpa, Tlaltizapan, Tlaquiltenango, Jojutla, Cle- 
mente, Jacques, Vallespin, Zacatepec, Obispo, San 
Jose, Paco and Puente de Ixtla. Of the Puebla- 
Cuautla line 63 kilometers of track are laid in this 
State, with stations at Lagunillas, Organo, Muerto, 
Azochiapan, Garcia, Pastor, MHuichilac, Tenox- 
tepango, Cuahuixtla and Cuautla. 

Railway lines are needed in several rich sections 
of the State; the construction of such lines would 
be of great benefit to the agricultural industries, and 
the concern that would engage in the building of 
these lines would certainly reap a rich financial 
reward. 

Roads.—There is a fairly good road for the 





The Republic of Mexico 523 


trafic of motor cars between Mexico City and 
Cuautla, in this State, via Cuernavaca. More high- 
ways for this purpose are being constructed at 
present. 

Mail—T elegraph—T elephone.—The mail service 
in this State is satisfactory, correspondence reaching 
its destination without any undue loss of time. 

So far no telephone service exists in this State. 

There are telegraph offices at Cuernavaca, Cu- 
autla, Yautepec, Jojutia, Totocala, and Puente de 
Ixtla; then there are, of course, the telegraph lines 
of the railroad, of which use can be made by the 
public in cases of emergency. 


NAYARIT 


Only one railroad line crosses the territory of this 
State, covering a distance of 166 kilometers. The 
trains stop at the following stations: Acaponeta, 
Chispa, Tecomate, Motaje, Bonita, Morada, Chi- 
lapa, Ruiz, Yago, Nanche, Pani, Jabali, Roseta, 
Corte, Mango, Aguirre, Mora, Escobar, Tepic. 
Lines are being constructed between Tepic and the 
port of San Blas, and between Tepic and Guadala- 
jara. 

Roads.—There are already a number of roads in 
the plains along the Pacific which are used for the 
trafic of motor vehicles, and more such roads, al- 
though not entirely satisfactory, can easily be built 
in that section. In the sierras, of course, the build- 
ing of any kind of roads is a far more difficult 
proposition. 

Mail—T elegraph—Telephone.—Only such places 
as Compostela, Acaponeta, Tepic, located along the 
railroad line, and San Blas, have efficient mail serv- 


4524 The Republic of Mexico 


ice; the other places receive their mail late and 
irregularly. 

Telegraph offices are established at Tepic, San- 
_tiago, Ixcuintla, Compostela, Acaponeta, San Blas. 
There are no telephone lines in this State. 


Nuevo LEON 


Railroads.—The territory of this State is crossed 
by several important railway lines. There is first 
of all the Mexico-Laredo line which enters the State 
at Garcia, touching afterwards the stations of Du- 
razno, Santa Catarina, Aztec, Leona, Piedra, San 
Geronimo, Gonzalitos, Monterrey, Ramon Trevino, 
Topo, Leal, Salinas, Morales, Lambdin, Stevenson, 
Palo Blanco, Alamo, Villaldama, Guadalupa, Busta- 
mante, Palma, Golondrinas, Candela, Brasil, Lam- 
pazos, Naranjo, Mojina, Mesa, Rodriguez, Cama- 
leon, Huizachito, Altos, Jarita and covering some | 
273 kilometers within the State of Nuevo Leon. 

The Monterrey-Torreon line has stations at Ica- 
mole, Fraile, Pesqueria, Durazno, Mineria, Mon- 
terrey, extending over 50 kilometers. The line from 
Monterrey to Reata has depots at Monterrey, Topo 
Chico, Topo, Grande, Chipinque, Mina, Hidalgo, 
Arista, Ixtle extending over 74 kilometers. 

The railroad from Monterrey to Matamoros is 
166 kilometers in length within the territory of this 
State, having stations at Monterrey, La Grange, 
Apodaca, Pesqueria, Milpa, Ayancual, Ramones, 
Loma Barretosa, Herreras, La Laja, Aldamas, 
Doctor Cos, Zacate, Ochoa. 

Roads.—This State is probably the best equipped 
in the matter of roads when compared with the 
other States in the Republic. Of course, more roads 





The Republic of Mexico 525 


are needed to establish easy and rapid communica- 
tion with the villages and settlements that are located 
at some distance from the railway lines. 

M ail—T elegraph—Telephone.—All the places 
of importance have telegraph offices of the Federal 
Telegraph System. The cities of Monterrey and 
Linares have an extensive telephone net. 

The postal service is one of the best in the 


Republic. 
OAXACA 


Railroads.—A\ll the lines in the State of Oaxaca 
are of relatively recent date and may be considered 
very insufficient for the great needs of this section. 

The principal line is, doubtless, that from Puebla 
to Oaxaca, which connects the latter city with the 
Capital of the Republic and with the interior of the 
country. It has within the State of Oaxaca about 
174. kilometers of track, and railway depots at San 
Antonio, Ignacio Mejia, Tecomavaca, Quitepec, Los 
Obos, Cuitatlan, San Pedrito, Tomellin, Organal, 
Almoloya, Venado, Santa Catarina, Anona, Parian, 
Escondida, Las Sedas, Telixtlahuaca, Huitzo, Suchi- 
quitongo, Magdalena, Etla, Mogote, Hacienda 
Blanca and Oaxaca. 

The line from Oaxaca to Tlacolula (called by the 
people of the place ‘“‘Tlacolula de los libres,” in 
allusion to the Oaxacan spirit of independence) is 
33 kilometers in length and has depots at Oaxaca, 
Oriente, Santa Cruz, Santa Maria del Tule, Guen- 
dulain, Abasolo, Guelavia and Tlacolula. 

The track from Oaxaca to Taviche is 56 kilo- 
meters in length and has depots at Oaxaca, Santa 
Anita, Xoxo, San Isidro, Jalpan, Zaachila, La Trini- 
dad, La Cienega, Zimatlan, San Nicolas, San Pablo, 


520 The Republic of Mexico 


Santiago Apostol, Ocotlan, Guebesche, La Cima and 
Taviche. 

The line from Oaxaca to Ejutla has a length of 
69 kilometers and has the same depots as the last- 
mentioned line, as far as Ocotlan; whence it runs to 
San Dionosio, San Pedro Apostol, Garzona, San 
Martin, Vergel, Bonequi and Fjutla. 

Direct railway communication with Salina Cruz 
and Puerto Angel would be very advantageous as 
the merchandise which is unloaded at those ports 
would reach the market more rapidly by such lines 
than by the Tehuantepec Railroad. 

The Tehuantepec Railroad is also partly within 
the State of Oaxaca, where it has about 140 kilo- 
meters of track, with stations in Palomares, Sara- 
bia, Mogone, Ives, Rincon, Antonio, Lagunas, Al- 
molaya, Chivela, Mena, Rio Verde, San Geronimo, 
Comitancillo, Jordan, Tehuantepec, Santa Cruz, 
Pearson, Salina Cruz. This line is very important, 
as it connects the two coasts, the Pacific and the 
Atlantic. The total length of the line from Salina 
Cruz to Puerto Mexico is 304 kilometers, laid on a 
soil which vibrates with the passage of the train at 
a good distance from the track. 

Railway lines are needed in all sections of this 
State, but more especially on the Guerrero side and 
towards the coast. 

The difficulties in the way of building more rapid 
lines of communication in this State are the same as 
obtain in the States of Michoacan and Guerrero; 
the extent of mountainous country makes the laying 
of track very costly. Whatever the expense, how- 
ever, this would be amply repaid by the benefits it 
would bring as almost virgin sections of the country 
would be opened up to production and development. 





The Republic of Mexico 527 


Roads.—Roads are very few for the same reason, 
the local roads being more of the nature of bridle 
paths than real roads. Lately there has been a move 
in favor of improving the roads to make them 
suitable for truck and tractor traffic. 

M ail—T elegraph—Telephone.—Only the most 
important towns have telegraph facilities. ‘There 
are no telephone companies at present. It is only 
in places which are fairly close to the railway lines 
that there is a good postal service; the remaining 
localities have a poor mail service or none at all. 

At Salina Cruz there is a wireless station. 


PUEBLA 


Railroads.—Puebla has numerous railway lines 
but they do not cross the entire length of the State. 
Lines are lacking in the southern section, and even 
in the north there is probably less railroad traffic 
than could be developed. 

The principal lines are: the Mexico-Puebla line, 
via Texmelucan and Texcoco; the Mexico-Puebla 
line, via Apizaco; the Puebla-Veracruz line, via Ja- 
lapa; the Mexico-Veracruz line; the Puebla-Oaxaca 
line with branch lines to Esperanza and Acatlan; the 
Puebla-Chiautla line; the Mexico-Beristain line. Of 
the Beristain line 30 kilometers of track are within 
this State, with stations at Egula, Sueyapam, Cima 
de ‘Tongo, Aserradero, Ahuazontepec and Beristain. 
On the direct road from Mexico City to Veracruz 
the State of Puebla has some 20 kilometers of track 
with stations at Oriental, Virreyes, Varela, ‘Tepeya- 
hualco; of the Puebla-Jalapa (Veracruz) line 144 
kilometers are laid in the State of Puebla with the 
following railway depots: Gillow, San Martin, San 


528 The Republic of Mexico 


Lucas, Bartolo, La Posta, Analco, Xoxtla, Coro- 
nango, Los Arcos, Beneficencia, Union, Dobladero, 
Puebla, San Cristobal, Signoret, Amozco, Malin- 
tzin, Acajete, Temaxcalito, Aldavo, La Venta, San 
Marcos, Chiapa, Santa Ana, Sesma, Manantiales, 
Vicencio, Carmen, Oriental, Virreyes, Varela and 
Tepeyahualco. On the Puebla-Cuautla line, cover-_ 
ing a little more than 110 kilometers within the 
State, the State has the stations of Puebla, Dobla- 
dero, Union, Los Arcos, Eiva, Carcana, Cholula, 
Nixcoatl, Santa Maria, Tecuanipan, Frailes, Mo- 
linos, Portezuelos, Atlixco, Savana, Champusco, 
Teruel, Tepejojuma, Balastrera, Tatetla, Mata- 
moros, Mier, Colon, Chietla, Atencingo, Ahuehue- 
tzingo. The Atencingo-Tlancualpican line is 20 
kilometers long and has depots at Atencingo, Jal- 
tepec, Espelon, and Tlancualpican. On the Oriental- 
Teziutlan line there are the following stations: Ori- 
ental, Virreyes, Noria, Libres, Concepcion, Pochin- 
toc, Martel La Rosa, Huitzitzilapan, Oton, Acuaro, 
Calera, Zaragoza, Cervantes, Gomez, Tezompan, 
Sosa, San Isidro and Teziutlan. From Libres a 
branch line runs to Virreyes, with stations at Lu- 
garda, Teoloyucan, Las Vigas, Virreyes. On the 
Puebla-Oaxaca line which has a length of more than 
130 kilometers, there are railway depots at Cha- 
chapa, Amozoc, Trigal, Tres Jagueyes, Santa Rosa, 
Tepeaca, Rosendo Marquez, Asuncion, Tecama- 
chalco, Las Animas, Tlacotepec, Tepanco, Carnero, 
Tehuacan. The Esperanza-JTehuacan line serves El 
Salado, San Antonio de la Soledad, Canada, La De- 
fensa, Llano Grande, Cabras, El] Carmen, Miahuat- 
lan and Tehuacan. 

A railroad is at present being built from Beristain 
to ‘Tampico, running in a northerly direction. 





The Republic of Mexico 529 


There are sections in this State, as for example 
the Sierra of Zacapoaxtla and some in the south, 
where railroad lines are badly needed, in order to 
take full advantage of the many natural resources 
which abound in those regions. 

Roads.—An automobile road leads from Mexico 
City to the City of Puebla and a number of other 
similar roads are under construction. 

Mail—T elegraph—Telephone.—Puebla has a 
good telephone system of its own and is also served 
by the telephone companies of the City of Mexico. 

Every town and village of importance has a tele- 
graph office. 

The mail service is good with the exception of the 
places located far away from the southern railroad 
line, and the mail of Zacapoaxtla. 


QuERETARO 


Railroads.—The principal railroad lines which, 
starting from Mexico City run towards the North, 
pass through territory of this State, traversing it in 
the direction of its largest extension; the same is 
true of the Mexico-Guadalajara line, the two pro- 
viding the State with excellent rapid transit facilities. 
The Mexico-Laredo line covers 74 kilometers within 
this State and has stations at Bernal, San Nicolas, La 
Llave, Noria, Bivorillas, La Griega, Hercules, Quere- 
taro, Las Adjuntas. The Mexico-E] Paso line has in 
this State 105 kilometers of track and the following 
stations: Cazadero, Palmillas, Peon, San Juan del 
Rio, Santa Elena, Chintepec, Ahorcado, La Griega, 
Hercules, Queretaro, Las Adjuntas. On the Mexico- 
Irapuato line the State has the same stations which we 
have mentioned in describing the Mexico-E] Paso line. 


530 The Republic of Mexico 


A new line is being built to connect Queretaro with 
Acambaro, the tracks being already laid to a point 
beyond Jerecuaro in the State of Guanajuato. 

Roads.—The largest extension of this State is 
crossed by railway lines but there are a few regions, 
such as those of Cadereyta, Jalpan, Toliman, which, 
being situated at a considerable distance from the 
railroads, must make use of the highways; these 
highways are to some extent being utilized for the 
trafic of motor vehicles and can be easily improved 
for this kind of communication. 

Mail—Telegraph—Telephone-—The National 
Telegraph System has offices in Queretaro, Cade- 
reyta, San Juan del Rio, Jalpan, Toliman, Tequis- 
quiapan and in other places. 

The telephone system is being developed at the 
present time and promises to become quite efficient. 

The postal service in the State is fairly good. 


QUINTANA Roo 


Railroads —This Territory, notwithstanding its 
enormous extent, has not a single railroad to facili- 
tate the exploitation of its rich soil. The Federal 
Government is considering a plan to build a railroad 
which would start from Payo Obispo, the capital of 
the Territory, touch at the villages of Bacalar and 
Mandinga, and at Peto make junction with the 
Southern Division of the Yucatan Railroad System. 
This line would be 270 kilometers in length. An- 
other line is planned which would start at the village 
of Bacalar, run into the Territory of the State of 
Campeche and cover a distance of 107 kilometers 
within the limits of Quintana Roo. 

These two projects originated long ago, but for 





The Republic of Mexico aly 531 


some reason or other no work has been started on 
either one. We think there is here a good oppor- 
tunity for men of initiative, in view of the fact that 
the Federal Government would grant the most 
favorable terms for the building of the two rail- 
roads. 

Roads.—There was at one time a cart road, now 
completely abandoned, starting from Peto, State of 
Yucatan, and covering something like 270 kilometers 
of Quintana Roo Territory. The building of an 
automobile road is under consideration; this road 
will have a length of 135 kilometers. 

Mail—Telegraph—Telephone.—The mail serv- 
ice is very restricted in Quintana Roo, due to the 
absence of important settlements, the great distances 
and the lack of roads. ‘There are post offices at 
Payo Obispo, Puerto Morelos, Holbox and in Cozu- 
mel, capital of the island of that name. Two small 
Government boats maintain a regular mail service 
between the Yucatan port of Progreso, Cozumel 
and Payo Obispo. In the latter place mail is also 
received from Belize (British Honduras) and Gua- 
temala (Central America). 

There is a telegraph office at Puerto Morelos hav- 
ing connection with the town of Valladolid in the 
State of Yucatan. 

Wireless stations are established at Payo Obispo 
and Xcalak. 

There is no telephone service in any place in the 
Territory. 


SAN Luis PoTost! 
The State of San Luis Potosi has two lines of 


railway of considerable length: the National Rail- 
road, with about 316 kilometers of track, having 


532 The Republic of Mexico 


the following stations: Villa de Reyes, Jesus Maria, 
La Pila, Arroyos, San Luis Potosi, Bocas, Mocte- 
zuma, Venado, Charcas and Vanegas. ‘The track 
from Aguascalientes to Tampico has a length of not 
less than 550 kilometers; on this line are the follow- 
ing stations: Salinas, Justino, San Luis Potosi, Peo- 
tillos, Cerritos, San Bartolo, Las Tablas, Cardenas, 
Las Canoas, Tamasopo, Valles, Las Palmas, Ebano. 
There are two important branch lines: that of 
Vanegas to Matehuala, 47 kilometers in length. 
This is essentially an ore-hauling line; it starts from 
Vanegas, passes through Cedral and has, in addi- 
tion to what we have just mentioned, a length of 
about 30 kilometers, passing through the rich min- 
eral district of Santa Maria de la Paz. The branch 
from San Bartolo to Rio Verde is 42 kilometers 
in length. Besides these lines there is the Potosi- 
Rio Verde line 51 kilometers in length, a road carry- 
ing chiefly ore and timber, and touching at Cerro 
de San Pedro, where the richest mines of the State 
are worked. The Coahuila and Zacatecas rail- 
way crosses a portion of the northern part of the 
State. 

New railway lines in the Huasteca section of the 
State are very much needed to make possible a bet- 
ter utilization of the product of this rich region. 

Roads.—There are good roads serving the towns 
that have no railroad communication, and some of 
these roads are suitable for automobile and motor- 
truck trafic. Then there is a number of cart roads 
which can be improved to stand the traffic of motor 
vehicles. 

Mail—T elegraph—Telephone.—The City of San 
Luis Potosi has two telephone companies which serve 
the city proper and the nearby farms or haciendas. 





The Republic of Mexico 533 


Offices of the Federal Telegraph System are found 
in all important towns. ‘The postal service is quite 
efficient. | 


SINALOA 


Railroads.—The State has only one railroad line, 
that of the Southern Pacific of Mexico, which ex- 
tends over 627 kilometers with depots at Francisco, 
Canedo, Fenochio, San Blas, Metate, Algodon, Na- 
ranjo, Toruno, Bamoa, Capomas, Casal, Guamuchul, 
Acatita, Palos Blancos, Techa, Zapotillo, Retes, Cai- 
manero, Vitaruto, Colorada, Las Juntas, Culiacan, 
San Rafael, Ahuate, Quila, Barrantes, Oso, Obispo, 
Abuya, Tanques, Romero, La Cruz, Olaje, Osuna, 
Dimas, Pozole, Modesto, Redo, Righeti, Mazatlan, 
Urias, Bonilla, Presidio, Labrados, Mataderos, Ro- 
sario, Astengo, Escuinapa, Gacho, Palmar, Copales, 
Concha. There is a branch line from Quila to E] 
Dorado. 

The Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railroad 
has a branch line of 103 kilometers within the State 
of Sinaloa with stations at Topolobampo, Ibarra, 
Stiwell, Mochis, Constancia, Charay, San Blas, 
Vegas, Norotes, Fuerte. 

A railroad which will be of the greatest impor- 
tance to this State is being built from Mazatlan to 
Durango. The following branch lines should be 
built: from Mazatlan to Rosario, Concordia and 
Union; from Culiacan to Mocorito, and from Culli- 
acan to San Dimas, the State of Durango. ‘These 
lines would cross rich mining and agricultural 
regions. 

Roads.—The State has cart roads which lead 
from the central part or the slopes of the moun- 
tains to the towns along the coast; these roads 


534 : The Republic of Mexico 


are gradually made suitable for the automobile 
traffic. 

Mail—Telegraph—Telephone—TI he _ Federal 
Telegraph System has offices at Mazatlan, Culiacan, 
Altata, Elota, Fuerte, Sinaloa, Union, Concordia, 
Rosario, Cosala, San Ignacio, and in a number of 
places of minor importance. 

Telephone service exists at the port of Mazatlan. 
and is being established in other places. 

The mail service in the State itself is quite efficient, 
but letters from outside of the State are delayed on 
account of the roundabout ways in which they must 
travel to reach the different sections of the State 
either on land or by water. 

A wireless station has been established at the port 
of Mazatlan. 


SONORA 


Railroads.—The principai railroads of the State 
are the Mexican Southern Pacific; the Kansas City, — 
Mexico and Orient Railroad, and the Cananea line. 

The Southern Pacific of Mexico extends over 695 
kilometers and has the following railway depots: 
Nogales, Lomas, Encinas, Agua Zarca, Cibuta, Ca- 
sita, Quijano, Cumeral, Cerro Blanco, Imuris, Pear- 
son, San Ignacio, Magdalena, Lorenzo, Santana, 
Gutierrez, Llano, Puerto Querobabi, Camou, Pozo, 
Carbo, Selva, Aguilar, Pesqueira, Zamora, Alamito, 
Gandara, Union, Hermosillo, Rio, Willard, Vega, 
Torres, Lujan, Escalante, Moreno, Tapia, Ortiz, 
Anita, Santa Rosa, Maytorena, Batamotal, Guay- 
mas, Piedra, Guasimas, Mapoli, Pitahaya, Oroz, 
Potam, Lencho, Jori, Bacum, Corral, Esperanza, 
Cajeme, Sochil, Velderrain, Fundicion, Santini, Mar- 
garita, Novajoa, Baavachi, Masiaca, Luis, Don. 


The Republic of Mexico ‘ 535 
The Kansas City, Mexico and Mreat Railroad 


has depots at Corral, Tebari, Potrero, Limones, 
Buena Vista, Picachos, Cuevas, Tubacas, Madera, 
Cumuripa, Agua Salada, Agua Caliente, Tufanito, 
Nacimiento, Chollas, Realito, La Gloria, La Dura, 
Onavas, Toledo, Tonichi. This line extends over 
155 kilometers. ‘The Alamos branch line has sta- 
tions at Navojoa, Tesia, Victoria, Maizal, Ranchito, 
Minas Nuevas, Alamos. This line is 62 kilometers 
long. The Nacozari line has stations at Agua Prieta, 
Cabullona, Cima, Fronteras, Cuchuta, Esqueda, 
Turicachi, Vigia, Calabazas, El Tajo, San Nicolas, 
Purica, Hidalgo, Nacozari; its length is 124 kilo- 
meters. 

Roads.—There are some roads in the State which 
are being utilized for the motor traffic, but a number 
of new ones should be built in order to establish 
rapid communication with such towns as Urea, the 
ancient capital of the State, and others. 

M ail—T elegraph—Telephone.—There are tele- 
graph stations in the most important towns of the 
State, such as Hermosillo, Cananea, Nogales, Guay- 
mas, Alamos, Altar, Magdalena, Navojoa and 
others. 

A wireless station is established at the port of 
Guaymas. 

Telephone service is gradually being established 
in nearly all of the most important towns. 

The mail service within the State is fairly efficient, 
even with regard to places located at some distance 
from the railroad stations. Rapid communication 
with the center of the Republic will be possible as 
soon as the San Blas-Guadalajara and the Mazatlan- 
Durango lines are open for traffic. 


590 The Republic of Mextco 
TABASCO 


Railroads—Roads.—Neither railroads nor high- 
ways are found in the State of Tabasco. ‘The roads 
and means of communication are its magnificent 
rivers. The centers of population are almost all 
located on or near the banks of the latter, just as 
other towns are located at the side of the highways. 
Tractors and trucks are very little used in this State. 

M ail—T elegraph—T elephone.—Telegraph lines 
are to be found in the principal cities of the State, 
but the greater number of its towns, haciendas and 
live-stock farms are without such convenience. There 
are no telephones. | 

The mail service is carried on by the steamers as 
far as the riverside towns, and from there the mail 
is forwarded by various methods which are not al- 
ways the most rapid. 


‘TAMAULIPAS 


Railways—The State of Tamaulipas has rapid 
means of communication with the central and north- 
ern parts of the country. The Tampico-Aguascal- 
lentes road connecting the State with the central 
part of the Republic, has within its territory the fol- 
lowing stations: Chijo, Mendez, Chila, Ochoa, 
Tamos and Tampico, running over 45 kilometers. 
The Monterrey-Tampico line extends over 339 kilo- 
meters within the State, having stations at Tam- 
pico, Arbol Grande, Earle, Puerta, Altamira, Co- 
lonia, Cervantes, Los Esteros, Columbus, Chocoy, 
Manuel, Gonzalez, Rosillo, Pretal, Osorio, Escan- 
don, Isasi, Forlon, San Francisco, Lavin, Zorrillo, 
Rosa, Victoria, Caballeros, Ceramica, Carbonero, 


a ee ee as ee ee eee, 


The Republic of Mexico 537 


Martinez, Santa Engracia, Adelaida, Cruz, Tinajas, 
Carrizos, Grande, Piedra, Garza Valdes and Sum- 
mit. The Monterrey-Matamoros line is 50 kilo- 
meters long and has depots at Camargo, Valadeces, 
Cuevas, Arguelles, Anzulduas, Reynosa, Corrales, 
Rio Bravo, Tenacitas, Canales, Ensenada, Ramirez, 
Capote, Sandoval, Rosita and Matamoros. A por- 
tion of the Mexico-Laredo line is laid in this State. 
An electric train runs between Tampico and La 
Barra, with stations at Tampico, Arbol Grande, 
Dona Cecilia, Talleres, El Aguila, Varadero, Hos- 
pital and La Barra. 

A new line, Mexico-Tampico, is under construc- 
tion, already finished up to a point beyond Beristain 
in the State of Puebla. 

New lines should be constructed from Ciudad 
Victoria to Soto la Marina Mendez, Cruillas, Jau- 
mave, Tula and other places. These would be short 
lines, the longest being about 90 kilometers, rich sec- 
tions, the products of which would make the building 
of such roads a paying proposition. 

Mail—Telegraph—tTelephone—The_ telegraph 
system is efficient in this State; there are telegraph 
ofiices at Matamoros, Camargo, Mendez, Soto la 
Marina, Ciudad Victoria, Tampico, Tula, Aldama, 
Jaumave, Nuevo Laredo, Reynoso and in other 
places. The port of Tampico has a wireless station 
and a submarine cable office. The city of Tampico 
has also a splendid telephone system. 

The postal service, as a whole, is very efficient in 
this State. 


TLAXCALA 


Railroads.—The State is crossed by a few railway 
lines: the railroad from Mexico to Veracruz touches 


538 The Republic of Mexico 


at the depots of La Luz, Bernal, Sanz, Trasquila, 
Mena, Pavon, Velazco, Baquedano, Postigo, Te- 
coac, Balcon, Rosario, Santo Domingo, Ceron, and 
Perez, about 89 kilometers of the line being within 
the State. The San Lorenzo, Puebla, Jalapa and 
Veracruz train also crosses Tlaxcala, having the de- 
pots of Calpulalpan, Mazapa, Tepuente, Nanaca- 
milca, Arroyo, Contadero and Tlalco; it is about 35 
kilometers long. 

The Mexican Railroad with a length of 36 kilo- 
meters within the State serves the State of Tlax- 
cala at the following points: Apizaco, Tochac, Aco- 
cotla, Huamantla. There is a branch line from 
Tlaxcala to Santana, passing through Apetatitlan. 
It is operated with animals. The ‘“‘Ferrocarril Agri- 
cola de Tlazco” (The agricultural railway of 
Tlaxco) starts from Apizco and runs to Tlaxco, and 
is a railroad which is extremely useful. 

Roads.—Roads serve all the towns of the State 
and are used for autotruck traffic. 

M ail—Telephone—Telegraph.—There are tele- 
graphic offices in Tlaxcala, Apizaco, Calpulalpan, 
Huamantla and other towns. Telephones are be- 
ginning to be considered necessary by the inhabitants 
of these towns and are used in communicating with 
various haciendas and factories and other places in 
the towns. 

The postal service is fairly good. 


VERACRUZ 


Railroads.—The first railroad line in Mexico was 
started from Veracruz, connecting the port of Vera- 
cruz with the City of Mexico. The Mexico-Vera- 
cruz line has 220 kilometers of track within the State 


The Republic of Mexico 539 


of Veracruz and the following stations: Perote, 
Rubin, Cruz Blanca, Las Vigas, Pino, Balastre Ne- 
gro, Balastre Colorado, Cruz Verde, San Salvador, 
Ocote, San Miguel, Dehesa, Banderilla, Sedeno, La 
Cima, Bruno, Cerveceria, Jalapa, Pacho, Roma, 
Munoz, Chavarillo, Tuzamapan, Obscuro, Palmar, 
Souter, Colorado, Carrizal, Rinconada, Tamarindo, 
Chichicaxtle, Paso de Varas, San Francisco, Sal- 
moval, Antigua, Pureza, Vargas, Santa Fe, Buena 
Vista, Lagarto, Veracruz. The train from Puebla 
to Veracruz runs over the same track as does the 
direct train from Mexico City. ‘The Tehuantepec 
railroad starts from Puerto Mexico towards Salina 
Cruz, having 147 kilometers within the State of 
Veracruz and the following stations: Puerto Mexico, 
Berta, Calzadas, Limones, Carmen, Chinameca, 
Jaltipan, Velasco, Ojaba, Almagres, Juile, Medias 
Aguas, Tortugas, Suchil, Santa Lucrecia, Cardenas, 
and Ubero. ‘The Cordoba-Santa Lucrecia line ex- 
tends over 331 kilometers, having the following sta- 
tions: Cordoba, Amatlan, Cuichapa, Xuchiles, Ome- 
alca, Presidio, Motzorongo, Tezonapa, Rio Juan 
Sanchez, Acatlan, Vicente, Tetela, Tierra Blanca, 
Vista Hermosa, Los Naranjos, Tres Valles, El Hule, 
Obispo, Loma Bonita, Paso del Cura, Isia, Bar- 
ranca, El Burro, San Marcos, Juanita, Cascayjal, 
Santa Lucrecia. The Veracruz-Tierra Blanca line 
extends over 98 kilometers and has the following 
stations: Veracruz, Los Cocos, Boca del Rio, San 
Antonio, Piedras Negras, Rio Blanco, Joaquin, Es- 
tanzuela, Tierra Blanca. Another line runs between 
Tres Valles and San Cristobal, 48 kilometers in 
length, with stations at Carolina, Rancho Nuevo, Co- 
-cuite, Chacaltianguis, Cosmaloapan and San Cristo- 
bal. From the kilometer 20 lof this line a branch, 


540 The Republic of Mexico 


6 kilometers long, with depots at El Burro, La Ca- 
nada, Cuatotolapan, Laurel, Masumiapa, Tilapan, 
Ohuilapan, San Andres. ‘The Veracruz-Alvarado 
line extends over 70 kilometers, with stations at 
Veracruz, Los Cocos, Espartal, El Tejar, Medellin, 
Carmen, Guasimal, Paso del Toro, Laguna, La 
Piedra, Salinas, Camaronera, Buen Pais, Alvarado. 
The Mexican Railroad runs within the territory of 
the State of Veracruz for a distance of 165 kilo- 
meters, with stations at Boca del Monte, Galera, 
Alta Luz, Bota, Maltrata, Balastrera, Encinar, 
Santa Rosa, Nogales, Rio Blanco, Orizaba, Molino, 
Sumidero, Metlac, Fortin, Cordoba, Pennuelo, Pa- 


raje Nuevo, Esmeralda, Potrero, Atoyac, San Allejo, — 


Paso del Macho, Camaron, Mata de Agua, Soledad, 
La Purga, Mata Loma, Santa Rita, Tejeria, Tem- 
bladera, Los Cocos, Veracruz. 

A railroad line should be built to connect the rich 
agricultural section of Jalacingo with the rest of the 
State. 

Roads.—The northern section of the State has 
good roads; other roads, suitable for the automo- 
bile traffic, are being built by the Government. 

Mail—T elegraph—Telephone.—All the larger 
towns in the State have telephone service, as have, 
of course, all the oil fields. The telegraph net of 
the State is also quite extensive. The port of Vera- 
cruz has a wireless station. 

The postal service naturally profits by the many 
and efficient means of communication, so much so 
that there is no delay in the distribution of mail all 
over the State. 

There is a submarine cable telegraph line connect- 
ing the ports of Veracruz and Puerto Mexico with 
Galveston. 


ace eee ee ee eel 


The Republic of Mexico 541 
YUCATAN 


Railroads —The whole railroad system operated 
in this State belongs to a concern called ‘‘Ferrocar- 
tiles Unidos de Yucatan’—United Railroads of 
Yucatan. It extends all over the State. The system 
comprises four divisions, the central point of all 
being the city of Merida, capital of the State. The 
North Division runs over the northern section of 
the District of Merida, ending at the port and town 
of Progreso. This line is 36 kilometers long. A 
branch road, 68 kilometers in length, runs to the 
town of Tixkokob, and, taking a southern direction, 
reaches Izamal, where it ends. At certain times of 
the year electric trains in addition to the ordinary 
one run over these lines. The West Division starts 
from Merida, touches at Tixkokob, Motul, Temax, 
Tzitas, Espita and ends at Tizimin, being 199 kilo- 
meters long. A branch of this line starts from 
Conkal, District of Tixkokob, going as far as Pro- 
greso. Another branch starts from Tzitas, District 
of Espita, ending at Valladolid. The branch road 
to Progreso is 47 kilometers long and that to Valla- 
dolid 180 kilometers. The South Division starts 
from Merida, touches at Acanceh, Ticul and Tekax 
and ends at Peto. A branch of this line runs from 
Acanceh, to Sotuta. The distance from Merida to 
Peto is 151 kilometers, and from Acanceh to Sotuta 
83 kilometers. The West Division starts from 
Merida, touches at Hunucma and Maxcanu, enters 
the State of Campeche and terminates at the port 
and city of Campeche. This Division has two 
branch roads: one running from Uman to Hunucma, 
and another which, after touching at Muna, runs as 
far as Ticul. The distance from Merida to Cam- 


542 The Republic of Mexico 


peche is 173 kilometers, from Uman to Hunucma, 
53 kilometers and from Muna to Ticul 80 kilo- 
meters. The only fuel used is wood, while at pres- 
ent most of the other railroad lines in the Republic 
of Mexico use crude oil, and coal in some sections; 
there is a general tendency to convert all locomotives 
into crude-oil burners. ‘This will probably be done 
in time also on the Yucatan railroads which are 
among the best in the country. There is a project 
to build a railroad which, starting from the little 
town of Peto, would cross the District of this name, 
enter the Territory of Quintana Roo, and end at 
Payo Obispo, port and capital town of the Terri- 
tory. The length of this line would be 270 kilo- 
meters. We think the construction of this road 
offers a splendid opportunity for any railroad builder, 
since it would open tremendous tracts of the finest 
land and make possible the systematic exploitation 
of rich forests. 

In the vicinity of all large sisal plantations the 
State has a number of country tramways drawn by 
mules, and carrying freight as well as passengers. 

Roads.—Fairly good roads are found all over the 
State, the use of automobiles being possible in prac- 
tically all of them. 

Mail—Telegraph—Telephone.—The mail servy- 
ice in this State is very efficient, since post offices are 
found in every town and village, with the exception 
of those that are of no importance. 

The telegraph and telephone systems of the Yu- 
catan railroads maintain a regular service between 
the city of Merida and the fifteen districts of the 
State. The Yucatan Telephone Company gives good 
service to the capital of the State, the port of Pro- 
greso and the towns of Motul and Acanceh. A good 


deena etna crue 


The Republic of Mexico 543 


many plantations have their own telephone lines, 
which keep them in touch with the neighboring 
villages. 

There is a wireless station at the City of Merida. 


ZACATECAS 


The State of Zacatecas does not abound in rail- 
road lines. The Central Railroad crosses it from 
North to South, extending over 300 kilometers and 
having stations at Berriozabal, Palmira, Troncoso, 
San Jeronimo, Guadalupe, Zacatecas, El Bote, Pi- 
mienta, Calera, Ojuelos, Fresnillo, Mendoza, Gu- 
tierez, Mezquite, Canitas (the starting point of a 
branch line), Cedro, Edmundo, La Colorada, La 
Luz, Pacheco, Guzman, Opal, Carlos, Camacho, 
Fuertes and San Isidro. The line from Canitas to 
Durango is 164 kilometers in length and has the 
following railroad depots: Canitas, Vieja, Alazan, 
Tetillas, Indios, Rio Grande, San Felipe, Pastelera, 
Santa Monica, Sain Alto, Cantuna, Arenal, Frio, 
Barajas, Abrego, La Parada, Mena, Canutillo and 
Boquilla. It has a small branch line from Barajas 
to Tocayas which extends over 10 kilometers and has 
one intermediate station at Sombrerete. The small 
branch line from Concepcion del Oro to Saltillo has 
only 20 kilometers within the territory of this State. 

A new railroad from Zacatecas to Saltillo is under 
construction and is already complete up to a point 
beyond Concepcion de Oro. Of this line some 200 
kilometers of track will be laid in the State of Zaca- 
tecas. In the richest sections of the State, that is in 
those of Jerez, Valparaiso, Juchipila and others 
there are no railways; the building of such roads 
would not be costly but would be very useful. Rail- 


544 The Republic of Mexico 


ways should also be built to Chalchihuites and Noria. 
In the northern section they are also needed to trans- 
port the products of Nieves and other points. 

Roads.—There are no automobile roads in the 
State, although they could and should be built, to 
partially remove the difficulties due to the absence 
of railroads in certain sections of the State. Roads 
toward Jerez and Troncoso, starting from points 
south of the city of Zacatecas, such as Troncoso, 
could extend over a distance of 120 kilometers. 
Since large areas of flatlands could be utilized, the 
building of such roads would not involve heavy 
expenditures. 

M ail—T elegraph—T elephone.—The postal serv- 
ice in this State is reliable but somewhat slow in 
places located far away from the railroad stations. 

The city of Zacatecas has telephone service. 

Telegraph stations are operating in Zacatecas, 
Fresnillo, Jerez, Sanchez Roma, San Andres, Som- 
brerete, Chalchimuites, Rio Grande, Nieves, Maza- 
pil, Concepcion del Oro, Canitas. The railroads 
have, of course, their own lines. 


Te eee ne ee 


Bi 


s 
: 
* 





CHAPTER XII 
CITIES AND Towns 


The object of this chapter is to give an idea ot the 
importance of the cities and towns of the different 
States. Business people as well as tourists may be 
stimulated by these data to visit these places for 
purely commercial purposes or for pleasure. Many 
of these towns derive their commercial importance, 
not from the number of their inhabitants, but from 
the wealth of the surrounding territory. 


AGUASCALIENTES 


The city of Aguascalientes has 48,000 inhabitants 
and is the chief commercial, manufacturing and rail- 
road center of the State. It is a city of the old 
style, with winding narrow streets; its houses are 
built after the old Spanish fashion. It has several 
fairly comfortable hotels and a number of beautiful 
buildings from the architectural standpoint. Among 
the churches, that of San Antonio, built in modern 
style, is worthy of mention. The Cathedral is very 
beautiful. The principal theater of the city is called 
Teatro Morelos. 

Among the points of interest we should mention 
one which has given its name to the State (Aguas- 
calientes, i. ¢., Hot Waters), that is to say, the 
thermal baths. Hot springs, containing sulphurous 
water, are the following: Ojo Caliente, San Nicolas 


545 


540 The Republic of Mexico 


de las Canteras, Colombo, Ojo Calentillo, and “Los 
Arquitos.”” There are baths at Ojo Caliente and 
Los Arquitos, which are also very popular places. 
The best parks are the Parque or “Jardin de San 
Marcos,” the ‘‘Plaza de Armas,” and the “Calzada 
de Arellano.” ‘The city has about twenty primary 
schools, but no establishment for higher education; 
it has a hospital, one regular theater and several 
moving-picture houses; it has blanket factories, 
foundries and several other industrial establish- 
ments. 

Asientos is the second town in importance and 
has 4,000 inhabitants. Calvillo has 2,300 .inhabi- 
tants. Tepezala, 2,500 inhabitants. Rincon de 
Romos, 2,000 inhabitants. 

The trade of all these towns is dependent on that 
of the Capital. 


BAJA CALIFORNIA 


La Paz is the principal town with 3,000 inhabi- 
tants, located on the shore of a magnificent bay; its 
general conditions are such as to make its develop- 
ing into a very prosperous city quite possible within 
the future. Near the town pearl fishing is carried 
on, its pearl banks being among the richest and most 
important in the world, not excluding those of 
Ormuz. 

Mexicali, the capital town of the northern District 
of the Territory, has 3,000 inhabitants. La Paz 
is the capital of the southern District. Mexicali is 
of geographical importance, since it is situated on 
the border line with the United States. It is a com- 
mercial center. 

Mulege, a mining town, and port for the coast- 


RAR eer 


The Republic of Mexico 547 


wise trade, with good pearl banks in its proximity 
as well as in Espiritu Santo and San Jose, has 2,000 
inhabitants. 

Santa Rosalia, a mining center, and port for the 
coasting-trade, with 4,000 inhabitants, most of which 
work in the mine of El Boleo. 

Ensenada, 2,000 inhabitants: a small port for the 
coasting-trade. 

San Jose del Cabo has 2,000 inhabitants; it is a 
small port and excellent fishing place; it also has 
pearl fisheries. 

Triunfo, with 2,600 inhabitants, is a mining center. 


CAMPECHE 


The most important towns in the State are Cam- 
peche and El Carmen, the first-named having 15,000 
and the other 7,000 inhabitants. 

Campeche is the Capital of the State; it is an 
historical town, since it is the first one founded by 
the Spanish Conquerors on the Yucatan Peninsula. 
Its walls, a few remnants of which are still standing 
and its bastions with a large number of cannons 
show it to have been once a fortress of considerable 
importance. Much of its artillery of French origin, 
probably captured by the Spaniards in their wars 
with France, was retaken by the French, when their 
fleet under the command of Counter-Admiral Clou 
took this fortress at the time of the French inter- 
vention. Campeche is a very picturesque town, hav- 
ing a number of fine buildings of the Spanish period, 
the most important of these being the Cathedral, 
the San Juan de Dios church and hospital, the St. 
Joseph church, built by the Jesuits; on the truncated 
hexagonal tower of this church there is a metereo- 


548 The Republic of Mexico 


logical observatory and a lighthouse for the guid- 
ance of the ocean-going vessels. The city has a 
theater and several moving-picture houses. The In- 
stitute of Campeche for higher studies possesses a 
library of more than 4,000 volumes and a museum of 
Natural History. Several tramways, drawn by 
mules, lead to the farthest outskirts of the city, which 
are extremely picturesque; there are several fairly 
good hotels, a Chamber of Commerce and a Cham- 
ber of Agriculture, both keeping in touch with sim- 
ilar institutions all over the country. A Normal 
School for teachers and a pretty large number of 
primary schools are established all over the State. 


CHIAPAS 


The principal cities of this State are: 

Tuxtla Gutierrez, the Capital, with 10,000 in- 
habitants, good public buildings, hotels, delightful 
walks, superb views. 

Tapachula, with 9,000 inhabitants: a custom- 
house; located near the border of the Central Amer- 
ican Republic of Guatemala. 

Comitan, with 9,700 inhabitants. 

San Cristobal, the most populous town and former 
Capital of of the State, called Las Casas in honor 
of the celebrated Bishop of Chiapas, don Fray Bar- 
tolome de las Casas, of imperishable memory on 
account of his apostolic charity and his successful 
work for the betterment of the natives. 

Tonola, 5,000 inhabitants, with notable haciendas 
or estates in its neighborhood, most of them raising 
cattle. 

Zacualpa, 4,000 inhabitants: a very important 





The Republic of Mexico 549 


center on account of its coffee estates, rubber and 
cacao plantations. 

Chiapa de Corzo, of importance for the same 
reason, and containing about 7,000 inhabitants. 

Pichucalco, with 1,000 inhabitants: a busy live- 
stock-growing center, though not as important as 
Tonola, is an exporter of timber, carries on agricul- 
tural pursuits like the other towns of Chiapas and 
has good rubber and coffee plantations. 

San Bartolome has 4,000 inhabitants and is a place 
which may become a center of the spinning and 
weaving industries, as the cotton-tree is plentiful in 
its vicinity. It is a large producer of agricultural 
articles. 

Soconusco, with 8,000 inhabitants, is a good port 
on the Pacific and boasts of the best cocoa trade in 
the Republic. In the neighborhood there are the 
largest cacao plantations; it exports cacao beans to 
the value of $1,750,000 a year. 


CHIHUAHUA 


The principal towns of the State are: 

Chihuahua, the Capital of the State, with 48,000 
inhabitants, located in a vast plain, with large and 
well-built streets; it has many important and beauti- 
ful buildings, a number of schools, churches, hos- 
pitals, sanatariums, public parks, theaters, moving- 
picture houses, etc. The city is of historical impor- 
tance, because the first fighters in the Mexican War 
of Independence: Hidalgo, Allende, Aldama, Aba- 
solo, were shot here by the Spaniards. It has a large 
foundry, machine shops, a large brewery and is a 
busy commercial center. 

Parral, with 15,000 inhabitants, is a very impor- 


550. The Republic of Mexico 


tant mining center and a producer of cattle, cereals 
and other agricultural articles. 

Jimenez, with 8,600 inhabitants, is a flourishing 
agricultural center; it is famous for its “perones”’ 
(pyrus malus), a kind of apple, that grows here, 
known under the name of “‘peron del Valle.” 

Ciudad Guerrero, with 8,000 inhabitants, is an 
agricultural center. 

Batopilas, 3,400 inhabitants, is an agricultural and 
mining town. 

Camargo, 9,000 inhabitants, is a manufacturing 
and agricultural center. 

Casas Grandes, 6,000 inhabitants, is an agricul- 
tural town. 

Colonia Dublan, 1,000 inhabitants, is a flourishing 
agricultural center. 

Cusihuiriachic, 1,300 inhabitants, is an impor- 
tant mining and agricultural center. 

Madera, with 5,000 inhabitants, is an agricultural 
center. 

Nuevas Casas Grandes, 1,400 inhabitants, grows 
agricultural products. 

Temosachic, 1,000 inhabitants, is a producer of 
cereals. 


CoAHUILA 


The following are the most important towns in 
this State: 

Saltillo, Capital of the State, with 35,000 inhabi- 
tants; it is a picturesque and beautiful place, of an 
agreeable cool climate, very healthy, with many 
places worth visiting, as for example, its gardens, 
the Alameda Zaragoza, El Chorro, a waterfall near 
Cienega de Flores; it has a large number of most 
beautiful buildings, schools, hotels, theaters, hos- 


a ee ee 





The Republic of Mexico 551 


pitals and a large number of prosperous business 
houses. 

Monclava, with 8,000 inhabitants; it has good 
hotel accommodations, theater, picturesque sights 
and parks in its vicinity; it is a good commercial 
place. 

Piedras Negras, with 10,000 inhabitants; it ex- 
ports coal coming from the mines of Las Esperanzas, 
La Rosita, Cloetes, Palau and Fuentes. 

Cuatro Cienegas, 5,000 inhabitants; has fine vine- 
yards and exports ‘“guayule,” a rubber-producing 
shrub; it has also important cattle ranches. 

Sabinas, with somewhat more than 6,000 inhabi- 
tants: a mining center. 

Viesca, 4,500 inhabitants: also a mining town. 

Sierra Mojoda, 11,000 inhabitants: a mining 
center. 

Parras, with 7,000 inhabitants: the center of the 
grape wine producing section; it has a most beauti- 
ful landscape. 

Torreon, with 40,000 inhabitants: the principal 
commercial, railroad and industrial center of the 
State; it is a beautiful and very important place, of 
great commercial activity. 


COLIMA 


The principal centers of population of this State 
are: 

Colima, with 30,000 inhabitants: a beautiful and 
very active industrial center; its central park with its. 
various species of palm-trees is particularly beautiful; 
its foundries and machine shops are quite important. 

Comala, 2,000 inhabitants: an important agricul- 
tural center. 


552 The Republic of Mexico 


Coquimatlan, 600 inhabitants; it derives its im- 
portance from its saltpits and from the fact that it 
is one of the places in the country that exports large 
quantities of coconuts. 

Cuyutlan, 500 inhabitants: produces salt and 
coconuts. 

Mamey, 6,500 inhabitants: a prosperous agri- 
cultural center. 

Manzanillo, with 2,400 inhabitants: a beautiful 
port on the Pacific Ocean. 

Tecoman, with 600 inhabitants: an agricultural 
center. | 

Tepames, with 2,000 inhabitants: a prosperous 
agricultural center. 

Villa Alvarez, 3,000 inhabitants: also an agricul- 
tural center. 


DIsTRITO FEDERAL 


The City of Mexico is the Capital of the Republic 
of Mexico, located in a level plain; it has about 
700,000 inhabitants and is one of the most beautiful 
cities on the American Continent; it has a number 
of wonderful parks, the one of Chapultepec being 
second to none in the world. The City of Mexico 
is in every sense of the word an absolutely modern 
city, and, of course, the principal political and com- 
mercial center in the Republic. The National 
Theater, of the finest marble throughout, still under 
construction, will be one of the greatest and most 
beautiful edifices on the globe; the city has a large 
number of other theaters and moving-picture houses, 
a number of most interesting museums, libraries and 
modern schools, high schools, colleges and universi- 
ties, private as well as under the direction of the 
Government. Mexico City is, of course, the seat of 


d 





The Republic of Mexico 553 


the Federal Government with all the corresponding 
Ministries and Departments; it is an agreeable and 
very healthy place to live in; all modern conveni- 
ences and comforts, such as hotels, restaurants, 
amusement places, hospitals and sanitariums are 
found here. The residential sections of the city are 
enchanting. The landscape around the city is un- 
equaled. 

The other most important cities of the Federal 
District, all connected with the City of Mexico by 
the splendid services of the finest electric car system 
that could be desired, are really suburbs of the City 
of Mexico, and taken together, constitute what might 
be called “Greater Mexico”: 

Tacubaya, with 75,000 inhabitants. 

Mixcoac, 30,000 inhabitants. 

San Angel, 9,000 inhabitants. 

Xochimilco, 12,000 inhabitants. 

Tacuba, 50,000 inhabitants. 

Atzcapozalco, 24,000 inhabitants. 

Ixtapalapa, 10,000 inhabitants. 

Guadalupe Hidalgo, 29,000 inhabitants. 

Tlalpam, 50,000 inhabitants. 

Coyoacan, 18,000 inhabitants. 

Near the city of Tacubaya there is a forest which 
is a very popular gathering place for the excursion- 
ists of the City of Mexico; the landscape in this 
section, around Xochimilco with its floating gardens, 
as well as in the neighborhood of the other towns, 
offers the most delightful views. 


DuURANGO 


Durango is the Capital of the State; it has 40,000 
inhabitants, fine public buildings, 20 primary schools, 


554 The Republic of Mexico 


two colleges for higher studies, a law school, a school 
for teachers called Normal School, a hospital and 
various sanitariums, hotels and a fine theater still 
under construction. - 

Gomez Palacio has 15,000 inhabitants; it is an 
industrial center. : 

Ciudad Lerdo has 8,000 inhabitants: a busy com- 
mercial town. 

Santiago Papasquiaro, with 5,000 inhabitants; it 
is an important agricultural center. 

There are other small towns of minor importance, 
such as San Juan del Rio, Nazas, Cuencame, San 


Juan de Guadalupe, Nombre de Dios. 


GUANAJUATO 


The principal cities and towns of commercial im- 
portance are the following: 

Guanajuato, Capital of the State, with 35,000 
inhabitants; it produces cereals and is the center of 
rich gold, silver and copper mines; it has a number 
of fine buildings, some of historic value, as the castle 
of Granaditas, for example; also a number of fairly 
good hotels. : 

Leon, with 54,000 inhabitants: great industrial 
center, located in a large plain, producing all kinds 
of cereals, etc. It is a center of the leather industry, 
famous for its high grade shoes and much-valued 
riding saddles; it is built after the ancient Spanish 
type, with crooked, narrow streets; it has important 
weaving and spinning mills, factories making felt and 
palm hats. 

Celaya, with 30,000 inhabitants: center of a 
rich agricultural and cattle-raising section; famous 
for its fruit-jelly or paste; it has a number of edi- 


. 
! 
iB 
. 





The Republic of Mexico Syata) 


fices of architectural value. ‘There are also weav- 
ing and spinning mills, flour mills and palm-hat 
factories. 

Irapuato, one of the most important railroad cen- 
ters, with 23,000 inhabitants; it is essentially an 
agricultural center, but has also large machine shops, 
tanneries, etc. 

Acambaro, 21,000 inhabitants: an agricultural 
center, having also important machine shops and 
other factories. 

Silao, with 13,000 inhabitants: an agricultural 
center, having several factories. 

Salamanca, with 12,000 inhabitants: an agricul- 
tural town. 

Salvatierra, 10,000 inhabitants: an agricultural 
center. 

Valle de Santiago, 10,000 inhabitants: located 
within a very fertile section producing cereals. 

Yuriria, 2,300 inhabitants: produces cereals. 

Uriangato, 2,000 inhabitants: a cereal and fruit- 
growing center. 

San Miguel de Allende, 10,000 inhabitants: an 
agricultural and industrial center. 

_ San Luis de la Paz, 11,000 inhabitants: a mining 
and manufacturing center. 

Rincon, 9,000 inhabitants: an industrial, cattle- 
raising and agricultural center. 

San Felipe, 6,000 inhabitants: an agricultural 
town. 

Romita, 2,400 inhabitants: a fruit-producing and 
agricultural center. 

Pueblo Nuevo, 5,000 inhabitants: an agricultural 
center. 

Penjamo, 9,000 inhabitants: an agricultural and 
cattle-raising center. 


550 The Republic of Mexico 


Moroleon, 4,600 inhabitants: a cereal, fruit and 
cattle-raising center. 

Jaral del Valle, 8,500 inhabitants: important 
agricultural center. — 

Dolores Hildalgo, 7,000 inhabitants: an historical 
and old industrial town. 


GUERRERO 


The following are the most important commercial 
centers of this State: 

Chilpancingo, the Capital of the State, with 
10,000 inhabitants: it is of historical importance. 

Acapulco, 9,800 inhabitants: the principal sea- 
port of the State. 

Ayutla, 3,000 inhabitants: a producer of fruit and 
agricultural articles. 

Iguala, 12,000 inhabitants: an automobile road 
leads from here to the Capital of the State; it is an 
agricultural center; it has an important iron foundry, 
vegetable-oil mills, and exports opals, marbles, etc. 

Chilapa, 11,000 inhabitants: exports oil and aloe 
(linaloe) and the largest quantity of palm hats that 
leave this State for points in the interior of the 
Republic. 

Tixtla, 9,900 inhabitants: a very important agri- 
cultural center; it also exports palm hats. 

Huamuxtitlan, 1,600 inhabitants: a rice and sugar- 
producing center. 


Taxco, 3,000 inhabitants: it is the principal min- — 


ing center of the State. 

Tecpan, 1,700 inhabitants: an important agricul- 
tural center. | 

Teloloapan, 7,000 inhabitants: an agricultural 
center. 






The Republic of Mexico joe's 


Tlapa, 3,000 inhabitants: it is also an agricultural 
center. 

Ometepec, 4,600 inhabitants: an agricultural and 
cattle-raising center. 

Coyuca, 2,300 inhabitants: an agricultural center. 


HIDALGO 


Pachuca is the Capital of this State; it has 40,000 
inhabitants; it is a hilly city, as are nearly all mining 
cities, and has important business houses and public 
buildings and some beautiful walks. It has several 
foundries. 

Real del Monte has 8,000 inhabitants and famous 
mines. 

Actopan, at the foot of the mountain range, called 
the “Organos of Actopan,” of eruptive origin, has 
2,000 inhabitants. 

Huejutla, in the section called the ‘‘Huasteca of 
Hidalgo,” has 2,500 inhabitants, beautiful orchards 
and fine views. 

Tulancingo, 9,000 inhabitants: a manufacturing 
town, in which the ancient Toltec traditional skill in 
making pottery has been maintained; it has the best 
Weaving and spinning mills and is one of the best 
commercial centers in the State. 

Tula: here are located the Aztec Portland Cement 
Works and various flour mills. 

Secualtipan, 2,300 inhabitants. 

Zimapan, 1,500 inhabitants: this and Semaltipan 
are quite important business centers. 


JALIsco 


The principal business centers of this State are: 
Guadalajara, the Capital of the State, with 


558 The Republic of Mexico 


175,000 inhabitants, is in every respect a modern 
and most beautiful city; it is chiefly an agricultural 
center. 

Ciudad Guzman, with 23,000 inhabitants: the 
center of a sugar-cane and cereal-producing section. 

Ocotlan, 16,000 inhabitants: the center of a fruit 
and cereal-producing section. 

_ San Juan de los Lagos, 5,800 inhabitants: a cattle- 
raising and agricultural center. 

Sayula, 12,500 inhabitants: an agricultural center. 

Ameca, 10,000 inhabitants: an agricultural center. 

Autlan, 15,000 inhabitants: also an agricultural 
center. 

Ayutla, 12,000 inhabitants: the center of a cereal- 
producing section. 

Bolanos, in a cereal-producing section. 

Chapala, 3,000 inhabitants: an agricultural town 
located on the lake of Chapala and is therefore also 
a busy summer and bathing resort. 

Colotlan, 7,500 inhabitants: center of an agricul- 
tural section. 

Cuautla, 3,600 inhabitants; in its environs dairy 
products and cereals are obtained. 


Cuquio, 3,200 inhabitants: is the center of a flax, s 


wheat, barley and vegetable-producing section. 
Encarnacion de Diaz, 5400 inhabitants; it is the 
center of an agricultural section. 
Etzatlan, 3,100 inhabitants, serves as the center 
for a cereal-producing region. 


Jamay, 1,700 inhabitants; cereals are produced in — 


this region. 


Juanacatlan, 8,500 inhabitants: located within an _ 


important agricultural section. 


La Barca, 11,000 inhabitants: famous for its — 


dairy products. 





The Republic of Mexico 559 


Lagos de Moreno, 13,000 inhabitants: located 
within a very important agricultural section. 

Manzanilla, 1,200 inhabitants: serves as an agri- 
cultural and cattle-raising section. 

Mascota, 5,400 inhabitants; the center of a cereal 
and tobacco-producing region. 

Meztican, 3,100 inhabitants: within a cereal-pro- 
ducing section. 

Poncitlan, 8,000 inhabitants; a fruit and cereal 
market. 

San Marcos, 4,000 Piiniaate: cereals and fruit 
are produced in its environs. 

San Sebastin, 4,000 inhabitants; an agricultural 
center. 

Zala, 2,800 inhabitants: located within an agri- 
cultural section. 

Tapalpa, 2,000 inhabitants; supplies flax, cereals 
and fruit. 

Tenamaxtlan, 3,000 inhabitants; within an agri- 
cultural section. 

Teocaltiche, 3,000 inhabitants: the center of an 
agricultural section. 

Teocuitatlan, 4,000 inhabitants: an agricultural 
center. . 

Tequila, 3,500 inhabitants: within a fruit and 
cereal-producing region. 

Tepatitlan, 1,400 inhabitants: serves as a section 
that produces cereals and fruits. 

Tomatlan, 1,000 inhabitants: the center of an 
agricultural region. 

Tonaya, 2,200 inhabitants: cereals are cultivated 
in this region. 
: Tonila, 1 1,300 Pahitaita: within a cereal-produc- 
ing section. 


500 The Republic of Mexico 


Tuxcacueso, 1,300 inhabitants; a market for 
cereals. 

Tuxpan, 5,300 inhabitants: serves as a cereal-pro- 
ducing region. 

Yuhualica, 3,000 inhabitants. 


Zacoalco, 2,000 inhabitants. p 
Zapotitlan, 10,000 inhabitants. r 
Zapopan, 2,300 inhabitants. 
Zapotlanejo, 3,500 inhabitants; all these towns : 













are the centers of important and rich agricultural 
sections which chiefly produce cereals. 


MExIco 


Toluca, the Capital of State, has 35,000 inhabi- 
tants, and is situated in a most beautiful valley with 
marvelous views; it is a great manufacturing and 
agricultural center. 

Amecameca, with 7,000 inhabitants, is situated in — 
the vicinity of the large paper mills of San Rafael; 
it has a rather cold climate for the reason that it is — 
located at the foot of the volcanoes; it has a wonder- — 
ful landscape. q 

Zumpango, a town of 6,000 inhabitants and situ- — 
ated on the shore of a lake bearing the same name; — 
it chiefly devotes itself to fishing; it is famous for ~ 
its beautiful views. 4 

Texcoco, ancient capital of the Chichimecan In- — 
dians, lies on the shores of the Texcoco lake, now ~ 
almost completely drained; has 5,000 inhabitants; 
the people are mostly engaged in agriculture and 
fishing. 4 

Valle de Brave, 5,000 inhabitants, has a foundry 
and important flour mills. | 

Temaxcaltepec, 3,000 inhabitants. 


The Republic of Mexico 501 


Tenancingo, 6,000 inhabitants: both an industrial 
and agricultural center. 

Zacualpan is a mining town with 3,200 inhabitants. 

Sultepec, 3,000 inhabitants: a mining center. 

Tenango, 6,000 inhabitants; a commercial center. 

Ixtlahuaca, 2,500 inhabitants; the town is famous 
for its sulphuric hot-water springs. 

Chalco has attractive landscapes and a population 
of 2,000 people. | 

Tlalnepantla, with 3,000 inhabitants, lies at a dis- 
tance of an hour’s ride by the train from Mexico 
City. It is popular as an excursion place. 

El Oro is the second largest town in the State, 
having 20,000 inhabitants; it is a rich mining and 
important commercial place. 


MICHOACAN 


The principal centers of population of this State 
are: 

Morelia, the Capital, a beautiful city with 45,000 
inhabitants; it is located in a wonderful valley 
through which runs the Morelia river. 

Uruapan, with 12,000 inhabitants; near this city 
are the celebrated and enchanting falls of Zararacua. 

Zamora, 14,000 inhabitants. 

Patzcuaro, 6,000 inhabitants. 

Sahuayo, 8,000 inhabitants. 

La Piedad Cabadas, 9,600 inhabitants. 

Tlalpujahua, 10,000 inhabitants. 

Tacambaro, 4,000 inhabitants. 

Zinapacuaro, 2,000 inhabitants. 

Zitacuaro, 5,000 inhabitants. 

Angangueo, 5,000 inhabitants. 

Maravatio, 3,000 inhabitants. 


502 The Republic of Mexico 


Los Reyes, 2,000 inhabitants. 

Cotilo, 3,000 inhabitants. 

All these towns are of importance as centers of 
trade. | 


MORELOS 


The most important business centers of this State 
are: 

Cuernavaca, the Capital of the State, with 12,000 
inhabitants. 

Cuautla, with 6,400 inhabitants, has sulphur 
springs; it is an agricultural center. 

Yuatepec, with 6,300 inhabitants, lies within an 
agricultural region and the most prosperous cattle- 
raising section of the State. 

Tetecala, with 2,000 inhabitants; it is the center 
of a rich agricultural section. In the vicinity of this 
town are situated the famous grottoes of Carahua- 
milpa. 

Puente de Ixtla, with 1,500 inhabitants; being 
located at the intersection point of several railroad 
lines, it is bound to develop into an important com- 
mercial place. It possesses sources of thermal waters 
and is the center of an important agricultural 
section. 


NAYARIT 


Tepic, the Capital of the State, has 18,000 in- 
habitants; it is an attractive and healthy place and 
the center of a coffee, tobacco and cereal-growing 
region. 

Santiago Ixcuintla, with 6,000 inhabitants; to- 
bacco, coffee, cotton and cereals are cultivated in the 
surrounding territory. 

San Blas, 2,000 inhabitants, is a port of entry, and 





The Republic of Mexico 503 


the center of a region devoted to the cultivation of 
coffee, tobacco, coconut-trees, cacao, cotton and 
sugar-cane. 

Jalisco, 4,000 inhabitants: an agricultural center. 

Ixtlan, 6,000 inhabitants: located within an im- 
portant farming section. 

Compostela, 3,000 inhabitants: the center of a 
rich agricultural region. 

Ahuacatlan, with 1,500 inhabitants: a farming 
center. 

Acaponeta, with 2,200 inhabitants: the center of 
a wealthy farming section. 


NvueEvo LEon 


This State has many very important business 
towns; they are: 

Monterrey, the Capital of the State, has 96,000 
inhabitants; it is an important railroad center and 
a beautiful modern city with all the corresponding 
institutions, buildings and conveniences; it is an agri- 
cultural center and an active business town. 

Linares, with 13,000 inhabitants; it is an agri- 
cultural center and an active business town. 

Montemorelos, 7,000 inhabitants: located within 
a rich farming section. 

Lampazos, 7,000 inhabitants; it has flour mills, 
and cotton, wheat and other cereals are cultivated in 
the surrounding territory. 

General Trevino, with 2,000 inhabitants: devoted 
to the cultivation of sugar-cane and cereals. 

_Galeana, with 5,000 inhabitants; it lies within an 
important farming region. 

Doctor Arroyo has 5,200 people: mostly devoted 
to farming. 


504 | The Republic of Mexico 


Cadereyta, with 7,000 inhabitants: mostly en- 
gaged in growing sugar-cane and cereals. 

Sabinas Hidalgo, with 7,600 inhabitants, is the 
center of a very important farming section. 

Villaldama, with 6,700 inhabitants: located within 
a good farming section. 


OAXACA 


The principal commercial towns of this State are: 

Oaxaca, the Capital, with about 40,000 inhabi- 
tants, is located on the banks of the Atoyac or Verde 
river, has most beautiful views, with some factories 
making different articles, as explained in the chapter 
on Industries; it has a flourishing trade. 

Tehuantepec has 12,000 inhabitants and is located 
within a large coffee-producing center. 

Salina Cruz, a port on the Pacific Ocean, with 
6,200 inhabitants, a busy place, especially since the 
completion of the Tehuantepec railroad. 

Huajuapan de Leon, 9,000 inhabitants, with ex- 
cellent agricultural opportunities and every proba- 
bility of great prosperity as soon as its coal deposits 
are tapped and exploited. 

Puerto Angel, on the Pacific Ocean, of 3,000 in- 
habitants, has a fine large bay capable of accommodat- 
ing vessels of considerable size; it is quite possible 
to convert this place into a real harbor and make it 
a maritime port of importance; at the present time 
it depends chiefly on agricultural activity. Fine cattle 
and excellent rice are produced in this section. 

Tlacolula, with 5,000 inhabitants, has very great 
natural resources; it has rich strata of good mar- 
bles, and is at a short distance from the celebrated 
Mitla ruins. 





The Republic of Mexico 505 


Tlaxiaco, with 7,400 inhabitants, is an attractive 
town and also does some mining. 

Ejutla, with 3,800 inhabitants, is located in a 
beautiful valley of the same name, which abounds in 
the nopal plant, offering nourishment to the cochineal 
insects, which yield a coloring matter used in manu- 
facturing. The castor-oil plant abounds also in this 
section. 

Ocotla has 3,200 inhabitants and is a rich mining 
camp, or should be so, since it is not being operated; 
at present it is rather an agricultural center. 

Tuxtepec, which has 3,400 inhabitants, and 

Juchitan, which has 14,000 inhabitants, are both 
centers of large and rich farming sections. 


PUEBLA 


The City of Puebla, the Capital of this State, 
ranks third among the cities of the Republic of 
Mexico; it has 140,000 inhabitants and is a great 
industrial and commercial center. 

Tehuacan has 9,000 inhabitants, being noted for 
its sulphurous thermal baths; it is a prosperous in- 
dustrial town. 

Huejotzingo, with 3,500 inhabitants, is surrounded 
by splendid forests and does an important timber 
business. 

Zacapoaxtla, located within the thickest part of 
the sierra, engages in the same kind of industry. 

Teziutlan, with 10,000 inhabitants, also does im- 
portant business in the timber industry; it has sev- 
eral mines, but engages principally in cattle-raising. 

Zacatlan, 9,000 inhabitants, is an agricultural and 
manufacturing center. 


500 - The Republic of Mexico 


Atlixco, 10,000 inhabitants, has onyx deposits or 
layers and flour mills. 

Acatlan, with 1,800 inhabitants, produces fruit 
and coffee. | 

San Martin Texmelucan, cultivates cotton and has 
the most important wheat and corn-growing farms in 
the State. 

Matamoros Izucar, 6,500 inhabitants, is the center 
of a rich agricultural section. 

Tepeaca, 2,100 inhabitants; it mines onyx and 
marble, and a fine variety of gypsum. 

San Juan de los Llanos, 6,000 inhabitants, pro- 
duces onyx, salt and gypsum, and lies in a prosperous 
stock-farming and agricultural district; it has sev- 
eral silver and gold mines and coal veins. 

Tecali, 1,800 inhabitants: famous for its fine onyx 
and marble. 

Chiautla, 2,700 inhabitants: a farming section. 

Cholula, 6,000 inhabitants; it is situated near the 
pyramid of the same name, representing ruins of an 
ancient people imperfectly known up to the present 
time; the region is chiefly agricultural. 

San Andres Chalchicomula, 5,000 inhabitants, 
serves a rich agricultural section. 


QUERETARO 


Queretaro is the Capital of the State; it has 
34,000 inhabitants and is of great historical impor- 
tance. In its vicinity is situated the hill called ‘‘Cerro 
de las Campanas,” on which Emperor Maximilian 
and his two brave generals, Miramon and Mejia, 
were shot to death, and, where the Constitution 
under which Mexico is at present governed was for- 
mulated. Queretaro is an interesting city, since it 





The Republic of Mexico 507 


represents in its buildings and streets the true type 
of a town of Colonial times; it has a number of very 
interesting sights. 

San Juan del Rio, with 11,000 inhabitants; it is 
a good farming center and the people of this town 
are very fond of manufacturing all kinds of toys. 

Cadereyta, 20,000 inhabitants; it is the center of 
a mining and agricultural region. 

Amealca, 3,000 inhabitants; the surrounding 
country places engage in agricultural enterprises. 

Jalpan, 4,000 inhabitants; in this section much 
wheat is produced. 

Pinal de Amoles, 2,400 inhabitants; it is the center 
of a farming district. 

Tesquisquiapan, 3,400 inhabitants; it has good 
mines and farms. 

Toliman, with 4,000 inhabitants, is also the center 
of a rich farming district. 


QUINTANA Roo 


Payo Obispo, with 1,500 inhabitants, is the capital 
of the Territory. 

Santa Cruz de Bravo, the former capital of the 
Territory, is in the hands of the Indians, who are not 
very much inclined to recognize the authority of the 
Mexican Federal Government. This village, as well 
as the attitude of these Indians, is of no importance. 

There are also the villages or settlements of Baca- 
lar, Puerto Morelos, Puerto Madero and Xcalak, 
all places of scarcely any importance. 


SAN Luis Poros! 


The most important centers of population are: 
San Luis Potosi, the Capital of the State, has 


508 The Republic of Mexico 


100,000 inhabitants, which makes it the fourth place 
of importance in the Republic. The city is very in- 
teresting and attractive to travelers as well as to the 
people residing there permanently; it is, of course, 
one of the most prosperous and greatest business 
centers of the country. 

Matehuala, 20,000 inhabitants, is an important 
mining and commercial center. 

Cedral, with 5,000 inhabitants, is a mining center. 

Santa Maria del Rio, 6,500 inhabitants, has good 
shawl factories. 

Cerritos, 4,000 inhabitants. 

Catorce, with 7,000 inhabitants. 

Rio Verde, with 9,000 inhabitants. 

Salinas, 4,000 inhabitants. 

Ciudad del Maiz, with 8,000 inhabitants, and a 
number of others, such as Tancuanhuitz, Tamasun- 
chale, Ciudad Valles, though in a lesser degree, are 
all important commercial places. 


SINALOA 


The following are the most important business 
centers: 

Culiacan, the Capital of the State, has 15,000 in- 
habitants; to some extent it is an industrial center, 
but on the whole the surrounding country is devoted 
to agriculture. 

Mazatlan, with 30,000 inhabitants, is a beautiful 
port on the Pacific Ocean. 

Rosario, 3,000 inhabitants: the center of a farm- 
ing section. 

Sinaloa, 1,300 inhabitants, serves an agricultural 
region. 


: 
4 





The Republic of Mexico 509 


San Ignacio, 3,000 inhabitants: the center of a 
farming region. 

Mocorito, 2,700 inhabitants, lies in a prosperous 
farming region. 

Fuerte, 2,400 inhabitants: serves a region where 
fruit, cereals and garden vegetables are produced. 

Elota, 1,000 inhabitants: also the center of a 
farming section. 

Cosala, 2,800 inhabitants: located in a fruit and 
cereal-producing region. 

Concordia, 3,000 inhabitants; fruit and cereals 
are cultivated in this section. 

Badiraguato, located in a fine farming section. 

Angostura, 900 inhabitants: located in a rich 
farming region. 

Altata, 1,000 inhabitants. 

-Ahome, 3,200 inhabitants. 

Topolobampo, 1,000 people. 

Union, 1,400 inhabitants; all these towns are the 
centers of prosperous agricultural sections. 


SONORA 


Hermosillo, the Capital of the State, has 15,000 
inhabitants; it is an active commercial center, and 
its favorable geographical location permits it to act 
as a center of the export and import trades. 

Ures, 3,000 inhabitants. 

Santana, 2,100 inhabitants. 

Sahuaripa, 1,400 inhabitants. 

San Javier, 1,000 inhabitants. 

Nogales, 8,000 inhabitants. 

Nacozari, 6,000 inhabitants. 

Magdalena, 2,400 inhabitants; all these towns 
are centers of very rich agricultural districts. 


570 The Republic of Mexico 


Guaymas, 6,500 inhabitants: a port in the Gulf 
of Cortes, with a fine bay and facilities for anchor- 
age; fruit, especially oranges, and cereals are cul- 
tivated in this section. 

Cocorit, 2,000 inhabitants; in this section chiefly 
garavance or chick-peas and cereals are grown. 

Cananea, 5,000 inhabitants: a great mining center 
and a thriving business place. 

Altar, 2,600 inhabitants: the center of an agri- 
cultural section. 

Alamos, 2,000 inhabitants; in this section chiefly 
garavance and cereals are grown. 

Agua Prieta, 1,600 inhabitants, located in a cereal- 
growing section. 


‘TABASCO 


Only two of the towns of the State of Tabasco 
merit special attention: 

Villahermosa, with 12,000 inhabitants; its scenery 
is delightful, situated as it is on the banks of the 
Grijalva river. Vessels of large draught come right 
up to the town; it is the Capital and the most im- 
portant commercial town of the State. 

Frontera, with 2,500 inhabitants, is the port of the 
State on the Gulf of Mexico. It is not a good port, 
as it is constantly obstructed by enormous banks of 
sand which are removed from time to time; the 
small town lies at the mouths of the two united 
rivers Grijalva and Usumacinta. 

Other less important towns of the State are: 

Tenosique, 2,000 inhabitants, on the frontier be- 
tween the State of Tabasco and the Republic of Gua- 
temala, Central America. 

Huimanguillo, 3,400 inhabitants. 

Cunduacan, 1,900 inhabitants. 








The Republic of Mexico 7B f 


TAMAULIPAS 


The cities and towns of interest from the business 
standpoint are: 

Ciudad Victoria, the Capital, with 13,000 inhabi- 
tants; it is a picturesque town, offering beautiful 
views. Its inhabitants engage mostly in agricultural 
pursuits. 

Tampico, with over 90,000 inhabitants: a port on 
the Gulf of Mexico, near the mouth of the river 
Panuco. Its growth and prosperity depend entirely 
on the petroleum industry in this section of the 
country. 

Matamoros, 8,000 inhabitants: a port on the river 
Bravo, a few miles from the mouth of the river; the 
people are devoted to the growing of cotton, cereals 
and some fruit. 

Nuevo Laredo, 6,000 inhabitants: the center of 
an agricultural section. 

Reynosa, 1,400 inhabitants, in a farming section. 

Tula, 6,700 inhabitants: a manufacturing and 
farming center. 

Jaumave, 2,500 inhabitants: also an industrial and 
agricultural center. 

Soto la Marina, 12,000 inhabitants; it lies in a 
farming district, and in its vicinity salt and asphalt 
are obtained. 

La Barra, 2,000 inhabitants, is a bathing resort. 


TLAXCALA 


The principal towns of this State are: 
Tlaxcala, the Capital of the State (for historic 
reasons), has 2,900 inhabitants. 7 

Santa Ana, 5,000 inhabitants: a good manufac- 
turing center. 


572 The Republic of Mexico 


Huamantla, 6,200 inhabitants; it is located in 
the valley of the same name and possesses some 
beautiful views; its people are mostly devoted to 
agricultural pursuits. 

Tlaxco, 2,000 inhabitants: a farming center. 

Zacatelco, 4,500 inhabitants, is a farming town. 

Calpulalpan, 3,000 inhabitants, has barley, wheat 
and corn cultivations. 

Apizaco, 15,000 inhabitants: also the center of an 
agricultural section. 


VERACRUZ 


The following are the principal and most impor- 
tant business centers of this State: 

Veracruz, the most important commercial port of 
the country, has 40,000 inhabitants. 

Puerto Mexico, 3,800 inhabitants (some claim it 
has 5,000 people): an active commercial center. 

Tuxpan, 7,000 inhabitants: one of the ports that 
export petroleum. 

Orizaba, a very beautiful city, situated amid the 
most enchanting landscapes, is a prosperous agricul- 
tural, industrial and commercial center. 

Cordoba, 8,500 inhabitants, a rich agricultural 
center. 

San Andres Tuxtla, 9,500 inhabitants; it is the 
center of the region where the best Mexican tobacco 
is produced. In its vicinity wealthy cattle ranges 
are located. 

Coatepec, 8,000 inhabitants: near a_ splendid 
waterfall (the Xico Fall). | 

Huatusco, 6,500 inhabitants: a cattle, fruit, coffee 
and sugar-producing center. 

Tlalcotalpan, with 6,000 inhabitants: an impor- 
tant sugar-producing center. 





The Republic of Mexico ee: 573 


Santiago Tuxtla, 5,600 inhabitants: a cotton and 
rice-producing center. 

Santa Lucrecia, 1,300 inhabitants: the center of 
a farming section. 

Coscomatepec, 4,200 inhabitants; the center of a 
coffee-growing region. 

Jalacingo, 4,100 inhabitants : an agricultural center. 

Jalapa, 10,000 inhabitants: an agricultural center 
and the capital of the state. 

Papantla, 7,300 inhabitants: the center of a rich 
agricultural and oil-producing section. 

Misantla, 6,900 inhabitants: an important center 
of petroleum and agricultural industries. 

Naolinco, 3,200 inhabitants: located in a rich 
farming section. 

Alvarado, 5,000 inhabitants: a port for the coast- 
ing-trade and an important agricultural center. 

Minatitlan, 3,600 inhabitants: the center of a 
farming and great petroleum-producing section. 

Acayucan, 3,000 inhabitants; sugar-cane, coffee 
and rice are produced in this section. 

Amatlan, 2,800 inhabitants: coffee, corn and espe- 
cially petroleum are obtained in this region. 

Banderilla, 1,400 inhabitants: an agricultural 
center. 

Boca del Rio, 1,200 inhabitants: in a sugar-cane- 
growing section. | 

Catemaco, 1,000 inhabitants: in a coffee-produc- 
ing region. 

Chacaltianguis, 1,100 inhabitants: an agricultural 
center. 

Chicontepec, 3,600 inhabitants; the center of a 
farming district. 

Chinameca, 900 inhabitants: an agricultural 
district. 


374. The Republic of Mexico 


Cosautlan, 1,400 inhabitants: in a tobacco and 
coffee-producing district. 

Cosamaloapan, 3,300 inhabitants: in a coffee and 
tobacco-growing district. 

Cuichapa, 1,000 inhabitants: in a rich farming 
section. 

Gutierrez Zamora, 3,400 inhabitants: vanilla, 
coffee and sugar-cane grow in this section. 

Martinez de la Torre, 1,600 inhabitants: in a 
coffee-growing district. 

Medellin, 2,200 inhabitants; sugar-cane and rice 
grow in this section. 

Nogales, 6,800 inhabitants: tobacco, coffee and 
sugar-cane grow in this region. 

Perote, 3,200 inhabitants: the center of an agri- 
cultural district. 

Rio Blanco, 8,500 inhabitants: in a rich farming 
district. 

San Juan Evangelista, 9,000 inhabitants, in a rich 
coffee and sugar-producing district. 

San Lorenzo Cerralvo, 2,600 inhabitants: in a 
sugar-cane producing section. | 

Santa Rosa, 6,300 inhabitants; it is in a farming 
district and has coal mines. 


Soledad Doblado, 2,000 inhabitants; the center 


of a rich agricultural region. 
Teocello, 1,600 inhabitants. 
Tierra Blanca, 1,400 inhabitants. 


Zongolica, 5,300 inhabitants; all of the above are 


agricultural centers. 
YUCATAN 


The principal cities and towns of commercial in- — 


terest are: 


Merida, the Capital of the State, with 70,000 in- 










Ee a ee el ne ee ee 


The Republic of Mexico ies) 


habitants, is one of the most beautiful cities in the 
country. It is a very prosperous agricultural, indus- 
trial and commercial center. 

Progreso, 7,000 inhabitants, is the port of entry 
of the State and also a good business place. 

Other places of some commercial importance are: 


Motul, Valladolid, Izamal, Ticul, Tekax. 


ZACATECAS 


Zacatecas, the Capital of the State, has at present 
10,000 inhabitants; in former more prosperous days 
it used to have as many as 50,000. Important mines 
are located in its district. 

Sombrerete, with 8,000 inhabitants, is also a min- 
ing center. 

Ciudad Garcia, formerly called Jerez, with 6,000 
inhabitants. 

Fresnillo, 5,000 inhabitants. 

Juchipila, 2,800 inhabitants. 

Nieves, 2,400 inhabitants. 

Ojo Caliente, 2,000 inhabitants. 

San Miguel del Mezquital, 4,300 inhabitants. 

Pinos, 6,000 inhabitants. 

Tlaltenango, 2,200 inhabitants; all these places 
were very important in the past, and probably will 
rise again to prosperity under the influence of more 
favorable conditions in the future. 














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Name and Loca- 
tion of the 
Ruins: 


Ac 


Acambaro 


Acanceh 
Aguascatlan 
Ake 


Alvarado 


Apaceo 


APPENDIX I 


ALPHABETICAL LIST OF 
ARCHAEOLOGICAL RUINS 


State: 


Yucatan 


Guanajuato 


Yucatan 
Puebla 
Yucatan 


Veracruz 


Guanajuato 


What They 
Represent: 


Ruins of edifices. 


In the neighbor- 
hood of this 
place there is a 
hill, on the side 
of which many 
archaeological 
objects are 
buried. 
Temples. 


General ruins. 
A pyramid. 


The ruins of a 
town and sep- 
ulchres_ are 
found near the 
town on the 
southern side of 


the estuaries 
formed at the 
mouth of the 


Papoalapan 
river. 

In the vicinity 
of this town 
there are sep- 


579 


Ethnological 
Significance: 


Mayan civiliza- 
tion. 

Tabascan civili- 
zation. 


Mayan civiliza- 
tion. 
Not 
known. 
Mayan civiliza- 
tion. 

Totonacan civi- 
lization. 


definitely 


Aztec civiliza- 


tion. 


580 


Name and Loca- 
tion of the 
Ruins: 


Apaceo 
(Cont.) 


Atlacahualayan, 
near Cuautla. 
Atlixco 


Barra de Sante- 


comapan 
Burras. (See 
“Hacienda de 
Burras’’ ) 


Cabeza Colosal 


Calixtlahuaca 


State: 


Guanajuato 


(Cont.) 


Morelos 


Puebla 


Veracruz 


Veracruz 


Mexico 


What They 
Represent: 


ulchres in which 
a rich farmer 
found a _ cloak 
made of plumes, 
and other im- 
portant objects. 

Ruins of edifices. 


On the hacienda 
La Concepcion, 


sepulchres and 
the base of a 
temple are 
found. 


Many objects 
are found in the 
sepulchres. 


A monument 
known as “Ca- 
beza de Huey- 
apa.” 


On a hill there. 


are the ruins of 
a town in which 
objects of gold, 
silver, copper, 
rock crystal and 
amethysts are 
buried. Some 
years ago an 
armor plating 
made of solid 
silver was 
found having 
eagle feathers 
engraved on it; 
on the summit 
of this same hill 
an idol was dis- 
covered having 


The Republic of Mexico 


Ethnological 
Significance: 


Aztec civiliza- 
tion. 
Totonacan civi- 


lization. 


Mayan civiliza- 
tion. 


Totonacan civi- 


lization. 


M atlacincan 
civilization 


Te ee ee ee 


The Republic of Mexico 


Name and Loca- 
tion of the 
Ruins: 


Calixtlahuaca 
(Cont.) 


Canoas 
“Ranas”) 
Casas Grandes 


(See 


Castillo de Teo- 
ayo. 


Catemaco 


Cerro de Guin- 
galo 
Coixtlahuaca 


Comalcalco 


Contla 

Cosco matepec 
(See “San Juan 
Cos’’) 

Cataxtla 


Coxcatlan 


State: 


Mexico 
(Cozt.) 


Chihuahua 


Veracruz 


Veracruz 


Oaxaca 


Oaxaca 


Tabasco 


Tlaxcala 
Veracruz 


Veracruz 


| Puebla 


What They 
Represent: 


the body of a 
woman, the 
head represent- 
ing a skull 
crowned with 
small human 
skulls; a diadem 
of gold was also 
found there. All 
these objects are 
on exhibition in 
the National 
Museum of 
Mexico City. 


Ruins of edifices. 


Base of a teo- 
calli, located in 
the center of the 
town plaza; it 
is in a fine state 
of preservation. 


Sepulchres and 
the ruins of 
towns. 


Extensive ruins. 
Sepulchres 
Ruins of edifices. 


Ruins of edifices. 


Diverse monu- 
ments. 

A monument 
known as “San- 
soanchi”; visi- 
tors exploring 


5ST 


Ethnological 
Significance: 


Toltecan civili- 
zation. 
Aztec 
tion. 


civiliza- 


Mayan civiliza- 
tion. 


Guavean civili- 
zation. 
Mixtecan civili- 
zation. 
Aztec 
tion. 
Not well known. 


civiliza- 


Totonacan civi- 
lization. 

Toltec civiliza- 
tion. 


582 


Name and Loca- 


tion of the State: 
Ruins: 
Coxcatlan Puebla 
(Cont.) (Cont.) 
Cuernavaca Morelos 
Cues (See “Los 
Cues”) 
Cuicatlan Oaxaca 
Cuilapa (See 
“Zachila” ) 


Cumuato (See 
“Hacienda de 
Cumuato’”’) 


The Republic of Mexico 


What They 
Represent: 


the place found 
an earthen jar 
filled with fin- 
ger rings, ear- 
rings, beads and 
idols, all of solid 
gold and beau- 
tiful workman- 
ship. 

In the suburb of 
San Ant6én 
stands a_ rock 
into which an 
alligator and 
four points 
are carved. On 
lands of the old 
ranch of Basoco, 
almost within 
the city of Cuer- 
navaca, there is 
a rock with a 
relief represent- 
ing a round 
shield, a stand- 
ard, five arrows 


and an animal’s — 


head, seemingly 
that of a tiger. 
An eagle is 
carved into an- 
other rock near 
the city of Cuer- 
navaca. 


Ethnological 
Significance: 


Aztec 
tion. 


civiliza- 


Sepulchres and Mixtec civiliza- 


other ruins. 


tion. 


4 
J 
3 
; 
‘ 
3 
4 
j 
4 





The Republic of Mexico 


Name and Loca- 
tion of the 
Ruins: 


Chalchihuites 
Chapala (See 
“Lago de Cha- 
pala’) 

Charan 


Chicualoque 


Chichen-Itza 


Chilon 


Cholula 


Chunmul 


Ejutla 


Elemax 


El Meco 


El! Pueblito 


El Tajin 


State: 


Durango 


Michoacan 
Veracruz 


Yucatan 


Chiapas 


Puebla 


Quintana 
Roo 
Oaxaca 


Quintana 
Roo 


Quintana 
Roo 


Querétaro 


Veracruz 


What They 
Represent: 


Important ruins 
of a town. 


Ruins of edifices. 


The ruins of a 
town. 
Important ruins 
and a “cenote” 
(water deposit 
in a cavern), 
called “Sa- 
grado.” 

Ruins of edifices. 


The base of a 
temple and sev- 
eral ruins of 
edifices. 

Ruins of edifices. 


Ruins of edifices. 
Ruins of edifices. 


The base of a 
temple made of 
rough stone and 
mortar. 

In the vicinity 
of the city of 
Querétaro exists 
the base of a 
teocalli on which 
a Catholic 
church has been 
built. 

A famous pyra- 
mid surrounded 
by sepulchres. 


553 


Ethnological 
Significance: 


Toltec civiliza- 
tion. 


Tarascan civili- 
zation. 
Totonacan civi- 
lization. 
Toltecan civili- 
zation. 


Mayan civiliza- 
tion. 
Toltec civiliza- 
tion. 


Mayan civiliza- 
tion. 
Zapotec civiliza- 
tion. 
Mayan civiliza- 
tion. 
Mayan civiliza- 
tion. 


Aztec civiliza- 


tion. 


Totonacan civi- 
lization. 


584 
Name and Loca- 


tion of the 
Ruins: 


Espinal,Paso Veracruz 
del Correo 


Etla Oaxaca 
9 

Frontera Tabasco 

Grutas de Za- Sonora 


huaripa 


Guadalupe (See pyebla 
“Hacienda de 
Guadalupe” ) 
Hacienda de 
Burras 
Hacienda de Jalisco 
Cumuato 

Hacienda de Puebla 
Guadalupe, in 

the District of 


Huejotzingo 

Huatusco Veracruz 
Huitzo Oaxaca 
Isla de Sacri- Veracruz 
ficios 

Itzimité Yucatan 
Izamal Yucatan 


State: 


Guanajuato 


The Republic of Mexico 


What They 
Represent: 


The ruins of a 
town. 

Ruins of tem- 
ples and sepul- 
chres 

In the vicinity 
of the town of 
Frontera there 
are ruins of teo- 
callis, and at a 
distance of two 
kilometers, the 
base of- a teo- 
calli decorated 
with small 
bricks and a 
pyramid. 
Grottoes 


Sepulchres. 
Several ruins 


Ruins of teocal- 
lis and sepul- 
chres. 


Ruins of edifices. 


Ruins of tem- 
ples and sepul- 
chres. 

Ruins of tem- 
ples and sepul- 
chres. 

Ruins of edifices. 


Ruins of a large 
Cyclopean pyra- 


Ethnological 
Significance: 


Totonacan civi- 
lization. 
Zapotecan civi- 
lization. 
Aztec civiliza- 
tion. 


The ethnology 
of these grottoes 
is unknown. 


Tarascan civili- 


_ zation. 


Tarascan civili- 
zation. 

H ue jo tzincan 
civilization. 


Totonacan civi- 
lization. 
Zapotecan civi- 
lization. 


Totonacan civi- 
lization. 


Mayan civiliza- 
tion. 
Mayan civiliza- 
tion. 





The Republic of Mexico 


Name and Loca- 
tion of the 
Ruins: 


Izamal 
(Cont.) 
Jilotepec 


Jonuta 


Kabaha 

Koba 

Labna 

Lago de Cha- 
pala 


Lago de Patz- 
cuaro 


La Quemada 


State: 


Yucatan 
(Cont.) 


Mexico 


Tabasco 


Yucatan 
Yucatan 
Yucatan 


Jalisco 


Michoacan 


Zacatecas 


What They 
Represent: 


mid and of sev- 
eral temples. 
Large base of a 
temple on which 
a Catholic 
church has been 
built. 

Near the banks 
of the Uzuma- 
cinta river 
stands the large 
base of a teo- 
calli. 

Ruins of edifices. 


Ruins of edifices. 
Ruins of won- 


derful palaces. 
Ancient objects 


are found all 
along the shores 
of the lake. 


There are sev- 
eral isles in this 
lake; ruins of 
temples and 
other edifices 
are found on 
the isle of 
Iguatzio; ruins 
of edifices and 
sepulchres on 
the isle of Jan- 
icho, and sepul- 
chres on the isle 
Tzintzuntzan. 

Ruins of edifices, 
votive pyramids, 
large halls the 
roofs of which 
are supported 
by columns, an 


585 


Ethnological 
Significance: 


Otomi civiliza- 


tion. 


Mayan civiliza- 
tion. 


Mayan civiliza- 
tion. 

Mayan civiliza- 
tion. 

Mayan civiliza- 
tion. 

Tarascan civili- 
zation. 


Tarascan civili- 
zation. 


Tarascan civili- 
zation. 


580 


Name and Loca- 
tion of the 
Ruins: 


La Quemada 
(Cont.) 


Leén 


Los Cues 
Macuba 


Malinalco, Dis- 
trict of Tenan- 
cingo 


State: 


Zacatecas 


(Cont.) 


Guanajuato 


Oaxaca 
Yucatan 


Tlaxcala 


What They 
Represent: 


extensive place 
for ball games, 
fortifications 
and dwellings. 
A relief repre- 
senting seven 
snakes is sculp- 
tured in one of 
these ruins. 
These ruins go 
by the name of 
Chicomoztoc, 
meaning “seven 
caverns,” and 
tradition has it 
that the seven 
tribes which 
populated 
Andahuac started 
from these cav- 
erns. But no 
caverns are 
found there. 


Idols and earth- 
en jars have 
been found at 
the bottom of a 
spring situated 
on the “paseo” 
(walk) of the 
city. 
Many 
chres. 
Ruins of edifices. 


sepul- 


The ruins of 
a temple, a hill 
called “Los 
Idolos” and an- 
other hill known 
as “Tozqui- 
huac.” 


The Republic of Mexico 


Ethnological 
Significance: 


Tarascan civili- 
zation. 


Toltec civiliza- 
tion. 

Mayan civiliza- 
tion. 
Aztec 
tion. 


civiliza- 


ee ea ee ee ee eee ee ee 





The Republic of Mexico 


Name and Loca- 
tion of the 
Ruins: 


Maltrata 


Mayapan 


Meco (See “El 
Meco”) 


Metlatoyucan 
and Mesa de 
Coroneles 

Mitla 


State: 


Veracruz 


Yucatan 


Quintana 
Roo 
Veracruz 


Oaxaca 


What They 
Represent: 


Different ruins 
and sculptured 
stones. 

This is the site 
of the ancient 
Mayan Capital; 
it shows ruins 
of edifices; the 
stela of Maya- 
pan is embedded 
in the wall of 
one of the cor- 
ridors on the 
Escanchacan es- 
tate, or ha- 
cienda. 


Many very im- 
portant monu- 
ments are found 
here. 

The ruins of an 
assemblage of 
edifices known 
under different 
Mames, such as 
“Columnas,” 
“Arroyo,” “Cur- 
ato,” “Fuerte,” 
“Tierra Blanca,” 
“Trapiche,” 
“ Pasacarrera”’; 
a sepulchre on 
the hacienda of 


Xagut; the 
“Cueva del 
diablo” (the 
. devil’s cav- 
ern); a cruci- 
form sepulchre 
and the ruins 


of a temple on 


587 
Ethnological 
Significance: 

Aztec civiliza- 
tion. 


Mayan civiliza- 
tion. 


Toltec civiliza- 
tion. 


Toltec and Za- 
potec civiliza- 
tion 


588 


Name and Loca- 
tion of the 
Ruins: 


Mitla 
(Cont.) 


Moctezuma 


State: 


Caxaca 
(Cozt.) 


Chihuahua 


What They 
Represent: 


the hill of 
Guiri on one 
side of the road 
to Tehuantepec; 
in this section 
are also located 
the quarries 
from which the 
stones were car- 
ried by the In- 
dians about 
twelve miles 
away for the 
building of 
edifices at Mitla; 
ia the town of 
Matatlan there 
are the ruins 
of edifices and 
sepulchres. In 
the towns of 
Teotitlan del 
Valle, Tlacoxa- 
hualla and Oax- 
aca many _ ob- 
jects made of 
solid gold have 
been found in 
the sepulchres; 
between Mitla 
and Tlacolula 
there is a rock 
known as “Ca- 
ballito Blanco” 
(little white 
horse) the upper 
part of which is 


decorated. 
On a hill are 
the ruins of 


concentric rings 
of fortifications 
made of stone; 


The Republic of Mexico 


Ethnological 
Significance: 





. 
; 
; 


The Republic of Mexico 


Name and Loca- 
tion of the 
Ruins: 


Moctezuma 
(Cont.) 


Naulinco 


Nochistlan 


Nogales 
Ocotlan 


Orizaba 


Paalmul 
Palenque 
Panuco 

Paracho 
Paraiso 

Paso del Correo 


(See “Espinal’) 
Patzcuaro 


State: 


Chihuahua 
(Cozt.) 


Veracruz 


Oaxaca 


Veracruz 
Oaxaca 


Veracruz 


Yucatan 
Chiapas 
Veracruz 
Michoacan 


Tabasco 


Michoacan 


What They 
Represent: 


ruins of forti- 
fications are 
also found on 
the steep rock 
of the hill, as 
well as the 
ruins of a very 
ancient town; 


the rocks show 


hieroglyphic 


paintings and 
the head of an 
idol. 


The ruins of a 
teocalli. 

Ruins of a large 
town located on 
a hillock. 

Ruins of tem- 
ples in grottoes. 
Ruins of edifices. 


Within the mu- 
nicipal cemetery 
there is a large 
carved rock 
known as “El 
Gigante” (the 
giant). 

Ruins of edifices. 


Famous ruins. 


Diverse 
ments. 
Ruins of edifices 
and sepulchres. 
Diverse ruins. 


monu- 


A large number 
of objects are 


589 


Ethnological 
Significance: 


Totonacan civi- 
lization. 

Mixtec civiliza- 
tion. 


Totonacan civi- 
lization. 

Zapotec civiliza- 
tion. 
Aztec 
tion. 


civiliza- 


Mayan civiliza- 
tion. 

Mayan civiliza- 
tion. 

Probably of 
Mayan origin. 
Tarascan civili- 
zation. 
Aztec 
tion. 


civiliza- 


Tarascan civili~ 
zation. 


590 


Name and Loca- 


tion of the State: 
Ruins: 
Patzcuaro Michoacan 
(Cont.) (Cont.) 


Piedras Pintas 


Pueblito (See 
“El Pueblito”) 

Quemada (See 
“La Quemada’”’) 


Quiotepec Oaxaca 


Ranas, Canoas Querétaro 
Salagua, Bay of Colima 
Manzanillo 

Salinas de Zoco- Jalisco 
alco 


San Andres Veracruz 
Tuxtla 


Nuevo Leon 


What They 
Represent: 


buried in small 
sepulchres near 


the town. 
Important reliefs 
in the_ steep 


rocks of the 
hills. 


On the summit 
of the hill near 
Quiotepec there 
are ruins of 
houses, temples 
and_sepulchres, 
from which 
countless pre- 
cious articles 
have been re- 
moved, espe- 
cially necklaces 
made of white 
jasper and 
pieces of jasper 
in rough state. 
Ruins of edifices. 


Ruins of edifices 
and sepulchres. 

Various objects 
have been found 


here, among 
them a beautiful 
small idol of 


solid gold, on 
exhibition in the 
National Mu- 
seum of the City 
of Mexico. 
Diverse monu- 
ments. 


The Republic of Mexico 


Ethnological 
Significance: 


Tarascan civili- 
zation. 


Toltec civiliza- 
tion. 


Aztec civiliza- 
tion. | 
Tarascan civili- 
zation. 
Tarascan civili- 
zation. 


Mayan and Az- 
tec civilization. 





The Republic of Mexico 


Name and Loca- 
tion of the 
Ruins: 


San Carlos 

San Juan Cosco- 
matepec 

Tajin (See “El 
Tajin”) 
Tanguanzicuaro 


> 


Tecamachalco 


Tecolpa 


Tecomavaca 


Teotihuacan 


Teotitlan del 


Camino 


‘Tenancingo 


Tepeaca 


State: 


Oaxaca 


Veracruz 


Michoacan 


Puebla 


Tabasco 


Oaxaca 


Mexico 


Oaxaca 


Mexico 


Puebla 


What They 
Represent: 


Ruins of edifices. 
of tem- 


Ruins 
ples. 


Ruins of edifices 
and ~ sepulchres 
situated fifteen 
miles from the 
city of Zamora. 
Diverse ruins. 


Four bases of 
temples and 
other edifices. 
Ruins of a very 
ancient town are 
located on the 
summit of a 
hillock in the 
vicinity of the 
village. 
Diverse monu- 
ments. 


Ruins in which 
precious objects 
of gold and jas- 
per, and many- 
colored idols 
have been 
found. 

Ruins of edifices ; 
a sculptured idol 
exists on the hill 
of “La Malin- 
che” in the 
suburb of Te- 
nancingo known 
as Alcatzingo. 
The ruins of a 
town at the foot 


5OL 


Ethnological 
Significance: 


Toltec civiliza- 
tion. 

Totoacan civili- 
zation. 


Tarascan civili- 
zation. 


Aztec civiliza- 
tion. 
Mayan civiliza- 


tion. 


Mixtec civiliza- 
tion. 


Toltec or Toto- 
nacan civiliza- 
tion. 
Toltec civiliza- 
tion. 


Aztec civiliza- 
tion. 
Aztec civiliza- 


tion. 


592 


Name and Loca- 


tion of the State: 
Ruins: 
Tepeaca Puebla. « : 
(Coznt.) (Cont.) 
Texcoco Mexico 


The Republic of Mexico 


What They 
Represent: 


of the _ hill, 
known as “Viejo 
Tepeaca” (old 
Tepeaca). 

In the vicinity 
are the ruins 
of various edi- 
fices; in a deep 
ravine near the 
village of Coat- 
linchan there is 
the largest idol 
known to exist 
in America 
called “La Zo- 
caca”; the ra- 
vine is known 
as “Tepetitlan” ; 
in Huexotla the 
ruins of several 
temples are 
found, as well 
as the famous 
walls mentioned 
by Hernan 
Cortez in his 
letters to the 
emperor Charles 
V; in the vil- 
lage of San 
Bernardino, in 
the district of 
Huexotla, are 
the ruins of va- 
rious buildings. 
At Texcoco 
scarcely any 
traces of the an- 
cient temples 
are left; about 
three miles from 
Texcoco is the 
hill of Texcut- 


Ethnological 
Significance: 


All these ruins 
are remnants of 
Acolhua  civili- 
zation. 





é 

i 
: 

‘ 

q 

’ 
7. 


The Republic of Mextco 


Name and Loca- 
tion of the 
Ruins: 


Texcoco 


(Cont.) 


Tixcokob 
Tlacotepec 


Tlalnepantla 


Tlaxcala 


State: 


Mexico 
(Cont.) 


Yucatan 
Puebla 


Mexico 


Tlaxcala 


What They 
Represent: 


zingo, on the 
summit of which 
are remains of 
temples and 
other buildings, 
and a circular 
basin cut in the 
rock; on the 
border of this 
basin the image 
of a frog is 
carved in the 
rock. In_ the 
vicinity of Tex- 
coco there is a 
hillock known 
as “El Gavilan” 
which holds im- 
portant ruins; 
ruins of a town 
and of a large 
temple are lo- 
cated on the hill 
called “El Tlal- 
oc” on the bor- 
der line of the 
Valley of Mex- 
ico and Puebla. 
Diverse ruins. 


Diverse ruins. 


Three_ miles 
from this place 
is a teocalli, and 
on the slope of 
Barrientos, be- 
tween Cuautit- 
lan and Tlalne- 
pantla a temple 
was discovered. 
Various ruins. 


593 


Ethnological 
Significance: 


Mayan civiliza- 
tion. 


Aztec civiliza- 
tion. 
Aztec civiliza- 
tion. 


Tlaxca ltecan 
civilization. 


594 


Name and Loca- 


tion of the 
Ruins: 


Tonola 


Tula Hidalgo 


Tulun 


Tuxpan 


‘Tuxpan 


Tuzapan 


Uxmal 


Ximalacatlan 


State: 


Chiapas 


Hidalgo 


Yucatan 


Guerrero 


Colima 


Veracruz 


Yucatan 


Morelos 


The Republic of Mexico 


What They 
Represent: 


Ruins of several 


buildings. 
Here is a hill 
called “El Te- 


soro,” on which 
there are the 
ruins of a town; 
on one side of 
this hill the 
image of a 
woman is sculp- 
tured in the 
solid rock. 
Ruins of fortifi- 
cations. 

At a distance of 
three miles from 
the town of 
Iguala there are 
sepulchres and 
a teocalli. 
Ruins of build- 
ings and sepul- 
chres. 

Various ruins 
and an idol four 
meters in height 
knuwn as 
‘Diosa del 
Agua” (Goddess 
of the Water), 
because __ tradi- 
tion says that 
this goddess 
provides the 
water for the 
town. 

Diverse impor- 
tant ruins. 


At a distance of 
eighteen miles 
from Tlalte- 


Ethnological 
Significance: 


Mayan civiliza- 
tion. 
Toltec civiliza- 
tion. 


Mayan civiliza- 
tion. 
Aztec 
tion. 


civiliza- 


Tarascan civili- 
zation. 
Aztec civiliza- 
tion. 


Mayan and 
Zapotec civiliza- 
tions. 

Toltec civiliza- 
tion. 





The Republic of Mexico 


Name and Loca- 


tion of the State: 
Ruins: 
Ximalacatlan Morelos 
(Cont.) (Cont.) 
Xoxo (See 
“Zachila” ) 
Yautepec Morelos 
Zacapo, near Michoacan 


Charan 


Zachila, Cuilapa Oaxaca 
and Xoxo 


Zahuaripa (See 
“Grutos de Za- 


huaripa”) 
Zimatlan Oaxaca 
Zoquitlan Puebla 


What They 
Represent: 


nango are ruins 
of temples and 
edifices, 


Rocks into 
which the 
images of enor- 
mous idols are 
carved. 


Ruins of ancient 


towns; at the 
village of Cha- 
rapa, 1§ miles 
from Cha- 
ran, there are 
ruins of sepul- 
chres and build- 
ings; sepulchres 
are also found 
at a place called 
Zacan, not far 
away from the 
others. 

Groups of tem- 
ples and_ teo- 
callis are found 
in these three 
places. Xoxo is 
located at a dis- 
tance of 4 kilo- 
meters, Cuilapa 
20 and Zachila 
25 kilometers 
from the city of 
Oaxaca. 


Ruins of build- 
ings. 

Ruins of an an- 
cient town. 


595 


Ethnological 
Significance: 


Aztec civiliza- 


tion. 


Tarascan civili- 
zation. 


Zapotecan civi- 
lization. 


Zapotecan civi- 
lization. 

Toltec civiliza- 
tion. 








APPENDIX II 


ALPHABETICAL LIST OF THE PLANTS, FRUITS AND 
TREES OF COMMERCIAL OR INDUSTRIAL USE MEN- 
TIONED IN THE VARIOUS SECTIONS OF 
THIS BOOK 


The common names indicated in this list are those under which 
the plants, fruits and trees are known in Mexico. It would be 
useless to try to give their English names, because most of them 
have no English equivalent. For this reason we have added the 
corresponding botanical terms. 

There is a frequent repetition of the same name. This is due 
to the fact that the natives of the different sections of Mexico, 
and even those of the same section, have one name for various 
species of plants or trees. In such cases the botanical name will 
identify the species. 


I.—Medicinal Plants 


In a number of cases the therapeutical value of the plants indi- 
cated in this list is known to the Mexican physician, if not to the 
medical profession at large. These plants are employed for 
curative purposes by the native Indian, but their specific curative 
properties still have to be investigated and determined. 


Zone in which the 


Botanical name: 
plant grows: 


Common name: 


Abrojo cacteas temperate 
aconito ranunculus dichotomus temperate 
adormidera papaver somnifera temperate 
aguilefia aquilegia longissima tropic 

albahaca ocymum basilicum temperate 
amapola (poppy) papaver rhoeas temperate 
amapola cenothera rosea temperate 
amapola amarilla eschscholtzia californica tropic 

amapola morada papaver atrupurpureum temperate 
anemona anemone japonica temperate 
anemona anemone mexicana temperate 
anisillo tagetes micrantha temperate 
anisillo schkukria virgata temperate 


597 


598 


Common name: 


arnica del pais 

azafran (saffron) 

Barbas de chivo 

borraja (borage) 

borraja 

bruja 

Cafia fistula 

caflagria 

cebadilla 

cerraja 

chachaca 

chia (sage) 

chia cimarrona 

chilillo 

cicuta 

contrahierba 

copalxihuitl 

cuamacate 

cuasia de Jamaica 

cuetante 

cundeamor 

Damiana 

damiana, or, hierba 
de San Nicolas 

damiana de Cali- 
fornia 

drimis 

Espuelas de _ cabal- 
lero 

Floripondio 

Gordolobo 

Haba de San Ignacio 

hierba buena (mint) 

hierba del borracho 

hierba de la cucar- 
acha 

hierba del borrego 

hierba del zorillo 

hinojo 

hoja sen (senna) 

Jalapa (jalap) 

jojoba 

Limoncillo 

Madreselva (honey- 
suckle) 


The Republic of Mexico 


Botanical name: 


hetherotheca inuloides 
lantana 

clematis dioica 
borago officinalis 
cordia boissieri 
scholtzia californica 
cassia fistula 

rumex hymenocephalus 
schoenocaulon sp. 
taraxacum dens leonis 
grimis winteri 

salvia hispanica 
salvis pseudo chia 
grimis winteri 
coniun: maculatum 
psarolea pentaphylla 
myrica xalapensis 
antoginon leptapus 
picrasma excelsa 
schkrankia aculeata 
momordica charantia 
jurnera diffusa 
chisactinia mexicana 


thurnera aphrodisiaca 


grimis winteri 
delphinium 
phyllum 
datura arborea 
guaphalium canescens 
hula crepitans 
mentha rotundifolia 
calamintha macrosthema 
haplophitum cimicidum 


leptho- 


stevia eupatoria 
croton diocus 
foeniculum vulgare 
fluorencia cernua 
spomoea purga 
simondsia californiana 
dalea citriodora 
lonicera carpifolium 


Zone in which the 
plant grows: 
tropic 
temperate 
temperate 
temperate 
temperate 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
all zones 
temperate 
temperate 
temperate 
temperate 
temperate 
temperate 
all zones 
tropic 
temperate 
tropic 
temperate 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 


tropic 


temperate 
temperate 


temperate 
temperate 
tropic 
temperate 
tropic 
tropic 


tropic 
temperate 
temperate 
temperate 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
temperate 





— _ 


| 


The Republic of Mexico 


Common name: 


magnolia 

malva prieta (mal- 
low) 

malvavisco 

manzanilla 
mile) 

manzanillo or max- 
che 

marihuana 
hemp) 

marrubio (white 
hore-hound) 

mirasol 

mostaza (mustard) 

mostaza Cimarrona 

Nacaxtle 

naranjillo 

nextamalxochil 

nispero 

Oregano (wild mar- 
joram) 

oregano 

organo 

ortiga (nettle) 

Pegarropa 

peyote 

peyote cimarron 


(camo- 


(Indian 


pinguica 
pifioncillo 

poleo 

Quina 

quina amarilla 
quina falsa 
Romero (rosemary) 
rosilla 

rosilla 

Salvia 

sangre de grado 
sangre de toro 
Salvilla 

siempre viva 
Tabaquillo 


toloache 


Botanical name: 


magnolia grandiflora 
abutilon sp. 


sida carpinifolia 
matricaria chamomilla 


hippomane mancinella 
cannabis indica 
marrubium vulgare 


cosmos bipinnatus 
brassica nigra 
brassica sinapistrum 
pithocolobium sp. 

ilez dugesii 
ranunculus dichotomus 
eriobobrya japonica 
lippia graveolens 


brickella veronicaefolia 
cereus marginatus 
urtica sp. 
mentzelia wrightii 
lophophora williamsi 
echinocactus myrios- 
igma 
arctostaphillus pungeus 
jatropha cureas 
mentha pulegium 
cinchona succirrubra 
excetemum sp. 
excetemum caribaeum 
rosmarnius officinalis 
helenium mexicana 
helenium automale 
buddleia perfoliata 
jatropha spatulata 
spigelia longiflora 
buddleia scordioides 
echeverria coccinea 
cala mintha  macros- 
thema 
datura tatula 


599 


Zone in which the 
plant grows: 


tropic 
tropic 


temperate 
temperate 


tropic 
tropic 
temperate 


temperate 
temperate 
temperate 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
temperate 


temperate 
tropic 

temperate 
temperate 
temperate 
temperate 


temperate 
tropic 
temperate 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
temperate 
temperate 
temperate 
temperate 
temperate 
tropic 
temperate 
temperate 
tropic 


temperate 


000 


Common name: 


toloache 

toloache de laguna 
tomillo (thyme) 
toronjil 

toronjil 


Valeriana (valerian) 

Yerba buena (pep- 
permint) 

yerba buena 

yerbanis 

yoloxochitl 

yoyote 

Zabila 

zarzaparilla :(sarsa- 
parilla) 


The Republic of Mexico 


Botanical name: 


datura stramonium 
datura ceratocaula 
thimus vulgaris 
cedronela mexicana 
dracocephalum molda- 
vica 

valeriana mexicana 
mentha pipenta 


mentha viridis 
tagetes lucida 
talauma mexicana 
thevetia nerrifolia 
aloe vulgaris 
smilex sp. 


2—Industrial Plants 


Zone in which the 
plant grows: 
temperate 
temperate 
temperate 
temperate 
temperate 


temperate 
temperate 


temperate 
temperate 
tropic 
tropic 
temperate 
tropic 


The plants indicated in the following list are of different 
industrial and commercial use, as is more clearly explained in the 


various chapters of this book. 


Some of these plants yield dye- 


stuffs, others tanning material, still others gums or resins, others 
again produce different grades of fiber, while from some vege- 
table oil, wax or rubber is extracted, etc. 


Common name: 


Ajonjoli (sesame) 
alcaparra 
algodon (cotton) 


amole 

amole de bolita 
anilina 
azafrancillo 

anil (indigo-plant) 
azafrancillo 
Cabeza de viejo 


cabeza de negro 
cacahuate (peanut) 
cadillo 

candelilla 
candelilla 


Botanical name: 


sesamum indicum 
spomea 
gossypium herbaceum 


procnyanthes viridescens 
sapindus marginatus 
phlox drumondi 
indigofera anil 
escobeia linearis 
carthamus tinctorius 
cephalocereus crisacan- 
thus 
gonolobus sp. 
arachys hipogea 
xanthium canadensis 
euphorbia cerifera 
euphorbia antisyphilitica 


Zone in which the 
plant grows: 
temperate 
temperate 
tropic and 
tropic 


sub- 


_temperate 


tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
temperate 
temperate 
tropic 


tropic 

temperate 
temperate 
temperate 
temperate 





The Republic of Mexico O01 


Zone in which the 


Botanical name: 
plant grows: 


Common name: 


cana de azucar (su- 


saccharum officinarum 


tropic and 


gar-cane) tropic 
caha japonesa hipsacum latifolium tropic 
caia (hemp) cannabis sativa all zones 
cafiapis sorghum vulgare tropic 
carrizo arundo donax all zones 
cascalote caesalpinia coriaria tropic 
cazuahuate ipomea arborea tropic 
chicalote argemone mexicana temperate 
chicalote argemone platyceros temperate 
chachamole nymphae ampla temperate 
clavellina bombax palmeri temperate 
clavellina pachira tropic 
coyol attlea sp. temperate 
coyol real oreodoxa regia tropic 
coyol baboso acromia mexicana temperate 
cozticpatle thalictrum hernandezii tropic 
cuajiote bursera aptera tropic 
cuaulote heliocarpus americanus temperate 
Escoba (Spanish _brickelia spinulosa all zones 
broom) 
estafiate artemisia mexicana temperate 
estropajos luffa cylindrica temperate 
Gobernadora larrea mexicana temperate 
guapilla agave falcata tropic 
guayule parthenium argentatum temperate 
Henequen (sisal agave rigida tropic 
hemp) 
higuerilla (castor-oil ricinus communis all zones 
plant) 
hoja pinta samseviera zeylandica tropic 
Ixtle agave sp. all zones 
izote yucca sp. tropic 
Jinote -  heliocarpus americanus temperate 
Lagrima de San _ caix lachryma tropic 
Pedro 
lechuguilla agave heterocantha temperate 
lentisco (lentiscus) forrestiera phillyroides temperate 
linaloe bursera aloexylon tropic 
linaza (flax) linum usitatissimum temperate 
lirio acuatico eichornia crascipens temperate 
lirio azul iris germanica temperate 
Maguey agave sp. all zones 
maguey bravo agave cupreata tropic 
maguey bruto agave asperrima temperate 


002 


Common name: 


maguey del cerro 

maguey del pulque 

maguey pinto 

maguey verde 

marafion (cashew) 

moral 

morera 

morera 

mosqueta 

Napahuite 

ninfa 

ninfa 

ninfa blanca 

ninfa, or, cabeza de 
negro 

nopal de la_ cochi- 
nilla 

Ocotillo 

ojaranza 

orchilla 

otate 

otatillo 

Pajon 

pajon 

palma 

palma 

palma 

palma 

palma de San Pedro 

palma jipi 

palma samandoca 

pata de liebre 

pie de cabra 

pita 

pochote 

pochote 


Ramie 
Tabaco (tobacco) 


torote 
tule 
tule 
tule 
tulillo 


The Republic of Mextco 


Botanical name: 


agave asperuna 
agave. atrovirens 
agave picta 

agave complicata 
anacardium occidentale 
cholophora (tinctoria) 
morus latifolia 

morus albi 
philladelphus coronarius 
trichilia hirta 
nymphaea ampla 
nymphaea elegans 
birsonima crassifolia 
nymphaea gracilis 


nopalea coccinelifera 


fouquiera splendens 
carpinus betulus 
roccella tinctoria 
guada sp. 

chusquea sp. 
sporobolus wrightii 
epicampes macroura 
yucca filamentosa 
samuela carnerosana 
brahea dulcis 

yucca australis 
yucca descipiens 
carludovica palmata 
yucca australis 
ochroma lagopus 
bauhinia sp. 
ananas macrodontes 
eriodendron grandiflora 
eriodendron aesculi- 
forme 

boehmeria niveatex 
nicotiana tabacum 


bursera microphylla 
thipha angustifolia 
cyrpus lacustris 

tipha dominguensis 
eleocharis palustris | 


Zone in which the 
plant grows: 


temperate 
temperate 
tropic 
temperate 
tropic 
tropic 
temperate 
temperate 
tropic 
tropic 
temperate 
temperate 
temperate 
tropic 


tropic 


temperate 
temperate 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
temperate 
temperate 
temperate 
temperate 


tropic 


tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
temperate 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 


tropic 


tropic and 


tropic 
tropic 
temperate 
temperate 
tropic 
temperate 


sub- 





The Republic of Mexico 


Common name: 


tulillo 
Zacate de escoba 
zacate de escoba 


zacaton 
zapupe 


Botanical name: 


cyperus melanos tachius 

sporobolus utilis 

muhlenbergia_  disticho- 
phylla 

epicampes macroura 

agave derveyana 


3:-—Edible Plants 


003 


Zone in which the 
plant grows: 
temperate 
temperate 
temperate 


temperate 
tropic 


The following is a list of plants used as edibles by the Mexican 


people. 


Some of these plants are generally known, others belong 


to tropical America, while others are specifically Mexican. All 
the species of vegetables growing in the temperate zone are also 


cultivated in Mexico. 


Common name: 


Ajo (garlic) 


alcachofa (artichoke) 
(common 


alverjon 

vetch) 
apio (celery) 
arroz (rice) 


avena (oats) 
Betabel (beet) 
Cabbage 


calabaza (calabash) 
calabaza de castilla 
(sweet po- 


camote 
tato) 

cebada (barley) 

cebolla (onion) 

chayote 

chicharo (pea) 

chilacayote 

chile bolita (chilli) 

chile guajilla 

chile piquin 


colinabo (turnip) 

Frijol 
bean) 

Garbanzo 


(common 


(gara- 
vance or chickpea) 


Botanical name: 


allium sativum 
cynara scolymus 
pisum sativum 


apium graveolens 
oryza sativa 


avena sativa 
beta vulgaris 
brassica oleracia 
cucurbita maxima 
cucurbita pepo 
ipmoea batatas 


hordeum sativa 
allium cepa 
sechium edule 
pisum sativum 
cucurbita ficifolia 
capsicum cordiforme 
capsicum longum 
capsicum annum cerasi- 
forme 
brassica oleracea 
phaseolus vulgaris 


cicer arietinum 


Zone in which the 
plant grows: 

all zones 

all zones 

temperate 


temperate 
tropic and 
tropic 
all zones 
all zones 
all zones 
all zones 
all zones 
all zones 


sub- 


temperate 
all zones 
all zones 
all zones 
all zones 
all zones 
all zones 
all zones 


all zones 
all zones 


all zones 


004 


Common name: 


guacamote or yuca 
(yucca) 

Haba (large bean) 

Ixpengua 

Jicama 

jicama de agua 

jinicuil 

Lechuga (lettuce) 

lenteja (lentil) 

Madre del maiz 

maiz cuarentefio 
(corn) 

maiz de elote colo- 
rado 

maiz de grano ves- 
‘tido 

maiz de humedo 


maiz de riego 
maiz palomero 
melon 

Nabo (turnip) 
ninfa 

Papa (Irish potato) 
pepino (cucumber) 
pimiento 

Rabano (radish) 
romeritos 

Tomate (tomato) 
tomatillo 

trigo (wheat) 


Vainilla (vanilla), 
used for flavoring 

verdolaga (purs- 
lane) 

verdolaga 

Xaan or palma 
comun 


Yuca (yucca) 
Zanahoria (carrot) 


The Republic of Mexico 


Zone in which the 
plant grows: 


Botanical name: 


manihot utilissima 


vicia faba 

dioscorea convolvulacea 
dalhia coccinea 
pachyrhizus tuberosus 
inga jinicuil 

lactucca sativa 

lens aesculenta 
dioscorea convolvulacea 
zea mays precox 


zea mays erythrolepsis 
zea mays criptosperma 


zea mays autumna se- 
minibus albi 
zea mays turgida 
zea mays minima | 
cucumis 
brassica napus 
nymphaea mexicana 
solanum tuberosum 
cucumis sativus 
capsicum pubescens 
raphanus sativus 
suaeda torreyana 
physalis peruviana 
physalis angulata 
triticum sativum 


vanilla planifolia 
jussiaea repens 


portulaca oleracea 
phoenix datilifera 


manihot palmata aipi 
daucus carotta 


tropic 


all zones 
tropic 
temperate 
tropic 
tropic 

all zones 
all zones 
tropic 

all zones 


all zones 
tropic 
all zones 


all zones 
all zones 
temperate 
all zones 
temperate 
all zones 
all zones 
tropic 
all zones 
temperate 
all zones 
all zones 
cold’ and 
perate 
tropic 


temperate 


temperate 
tropic 


tropic 
all zones 


tem- 





The Republic of Mexico : 605 
4.—Fodder Plants 


This list comprises the various species of fodder plants grow- 
ing in the different sections of Mexico; particular reference is made 
to these plants in the chapter on Live-stock Raising. 


Zone in which the 


Common name: Botanical name: 
plant grows: 

Alfalfa medicago sativa temperate 
alfalfa arbusto medicago arborea temperate 
aceitilla bides leucantha temperate 
camelote ophismemis holciformis temperate 
engordacabras dalea tuberculata cold 

grama_ (creeping cynodon dactylon all zones 

cynodon) 
te blanco bidens leucantha temperate 
te de milpa amarillo bidens tetragona temperate 
trebol (clover) trifolium amabile temperate 
trebol molulotus parviflora temperate 
trebol trifolium involucratum — temperate 
trebol de carretilla medicago denticulata temperate 
zacate borreguero bouteloua oligostachya | temperate 
zacate camalote panicum crus-galli temperate 
zacate cola de zorra’ muhlenbergia affinis all zones 
zacate colorado trachypogon  polymor- all zones 
phus 

zacate de agua andropogen macrourus all zones 
zacate grama paspalum distichum all zones 
zacate liendrilla muhlenbergia implicata ll zones 


5.—Ornamental Plants 


This list includes just a few of the ornamental plants found 
in the Mexican gardens and homes. In the forests, especially in 
the tropical forests of Mexico, there is an immense variety of 
plants and trees of extraordinary beauty. 


Zone in which the 


Common name: Botanical name: 
plant grows: 
Cantua cantus busifolia temperate 
nardo (spike nard) _polianthes tuberosa tropic 
palma livistonia australis tropic 
palma phoenix canariensis tropic 
palma livistonia chinensis tropic 
palma de las pampas_ grinerium oleander tropic 
palma real roystonea regia tropic 


palmera prichardia phillifera tropic 


600 


Common name: 


Aguacate (alligator- 
pear) 

aguames 

anona 

arbol de pan 

bonete 


bonete 

bonete 

cacao 

café (coffee) 

capomo 

capulin 

cardon 

cerezo (cherry) 

ciruela (plum) 

ciruela 

ciruela 

coco (coconut) 

coquito de aceite 

chamal 

chavacano 

chicozapote 

chirimoya 

chirimoya 
moyer) 

cuapinole 

datil (date) 

datil cimarron 

frambuesa (rasp- 
berry) 

fresa (strawberry) 

garambullo 

granada (pomegran- 
ate) 

granadilla 

granadita de china 

granjeno 

guamara 

guanabana (custard 
apple) 

guasima 


higo (fig) 


(cheri- 


The Republic of Mexico 


Fruits 


Botanical name: 


persea gratissima 


bromelia pinguin 
anona squamosa 
artocarpus incisa 
echinocactus myrios- 
tigma 
pileus heptaphillus 
jacaratra mexicana 
theobroma cacao 
coffea excelsa 
brossium alicastrum 
prunus capuli 
cereus pecten aborigenus 
prunus cerasus 
prunus domestica 
spondias purpurea 
spondias lutea 
cocos nucifera 
atalea cohune 
dioon edule 
prunus armeniaca 
achras sapote 
anona squamosa 
anona cherimollia 


hymenaea courbaril 
poenix datilifera 
agave sp. 

rubus edoeus 


fragaria vesca 
cereus geometrizans 
punica granatum 


mocina heterophylla 
passiflora edulis 
celtis pallida 
bromelia pinguin 
anona muricata 


guazuma polibotrya 
ficus carica 


Zone in which the 
fruit is produced: 


tropic 


temperate 
tropic 
tropic 
temperate 


tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
temperate 
temperate 
temperate 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
temperate 
temperate 
tropical 
tropical 


tropical 


tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
temperate 


temperate 
temperate 
temperate 


temperate 
tropic 
temperate 
tropic 
tropic 


tropic 
temperate 





The Republic of Mexico 007 


Zone in which the 


Common name: Botanical name. fruit is produced: 
huamuchil pitecolobium dulce tropic 
jarrilla mocinna heterophylla temperate 
jicama dalea coccinea temperate 
jicama de agua pachyrhizus tuberosus tropic 
jinicui inga jinicuil tropic 
jojoba simondsia californiana tropic 
lima (lime) citrus limetta tropic 
limon (leman) citrus limonum tropic 
macallo andira excelsa tropic 
malon zapote carica papaya tropic 
mamey (mammee) lucuma mammosa tropic 
mamey silvestre mammea sp. tropic 
mangle rhizophora mangle tropic 
mangle prieto conocarpus erecta tropic 
manzana (apple) pyrus malus temperate 
membrillo (quince)  sydonia vulgaris temperate 
morera (blackberry) morus nigra temperate 
nanche birsonima crassifolia temperate 
naranja (orange) citrus aurantium tropic 
nogal (nut) juglans rupestris temperate 
nogal de nuez grande juglans regia temperate 
nogal de nuez chica’ carya oliveaformis temperate 
nopal de castillo opuntia ficus indica temperate 
nopal duraznilla opuntia leucotricha temperate 
olivo (olive) olea europea temperate 
papayo (papaw) carica papaya tropic 
papayo papaya prolifera tropic 
parota enterolobium  ciclocar- tropic 

pum 
parra (grape) vitis vinifera subtropic 
parra silvestre vitis aestivalis temperate 
peral (pear) pyrus communis temperate 
peyote lophophora williamsi temperate 
piche enterolobium  ciclocar- tropic 

pum 
pifia (pineapple) ananas sativa tropic 
pifa bromelia ananas tropic 
pitahaya cereus tricostatus tropic 
pitahaya cereus variabilis tropic 
platano chino musa paradisiaca tropic 
platano morado musa rosacea tropic 
platano tabasco’ musa regia tropic 

(banana) 
tamarindo (tama- tamarindus indicus tropic 


rind) 


008 


Common name: 


tejocote 

toronja (grapefruit) 

zapote amarillo 

zapote blanco 
pota) 

zapote prieto 

zapotillo or ziziacche 


(sa- 


Common name: 


Abedul (birch-tree) 

abeto (silver-tree) 

acahuite 

acocote 

acocote 

acebuche 

aguacatillo 

ahuate or latanillo 

ailé 

ailé 

alamillo 

alamo (poplar) 

alamo 

alampepe 

algodoncillo 

alisco (alder-tree) 

amate 

amapa 

amapola or chucte 

aquistle or codo de 
fraile 

arbol de fuego 

arbol de hule (rub- 
ber-tree) 

arbol de Judas 

arce (maple-tree) 

arrayan 

Balsamo (balsam- 
tree) 

bari 

bejuco colorado 


The Republic of Mexico 


Botanical name: 


crataegus mexicana 
citrus decumana 
lucuma salicifolia 
casimiroa edulis 


diospyrus ebenaster 
achras sapote 


Timber 


Botanical name: 


betula verrucosa 

abies religiosa 

pinus ayacahuite 
lagenaria vulgaris 
prionosciadum mexicana 
forrestiera murocoides 
persea gratissima 
ruprechtia cumingii 
alnus sp. 

alnus acuminata 
populus tremuloides 
populus monilifera 
populus canadiensis 
entada scandens 
inga sp. 

alnus glabrata 

ficus nymphaefolia 
tabebuia sp. 
myroxylon pereirae 
thevetia nerrifolia 


pinciana regia 
castilloa elastica 


bacconica arborea 
acer campestris 
myrtus arrayan 
myroxylon pereirae 


cordia gerascanthoides 
hippocratea sp. 


Zone in which the 
fruit is produced: 
temperate 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 


tropic 
tropic 


Zone in which 
the tree grows: 

temperate 
cold 

cold 
temperate 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
temperate 
temperate 
cold 
temperate 
temperate 
tropic 
tropic 
temperate 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 


tropic 
tropic 


tropic 
temperate 
tropic 
tropic 


tropic 
tropic 


a 





ge 


The Republic of Mexico 


Common name: 


boochic or uvero 


brasilete 

Cacahuananche 

cahua or palo Maria 

camichin 

caniste 

cantemo 

caoba 

capomo 

capulin 

cascap 

catalox or 
sangre 

caucho (rubber-tree) 

caucho 

cazin or bejuco colo- 
rado 

cedro (cedar) 

cedro rojo 

cedro del Himalaya 

cedro 

ceiba 

cepillo del diablo 

cepillo del diablo 

ciprés (cypress) 

clavellina 

cocoite 

cocomelca 

colorin 

colorin chiquito 

copal chino 

copal santo 

copal poom 

copalchi 

copalquin 

copte-siricote 

criptomeria 

cueramo 

cuajilote 

cuajiote 

cuapinole 

culinche 

culiniche 

chacah 


llora 


Botanical name: 


cephalanthus _ occiden- 
talis 

caesalpinia brasilensis 

licania arborea 

achras sp. 

ficus fasciculata 

lucuma mammosa 

acacia filicina 

swiestenia mahogani 

brosimum alicastrum 

rhus virens 

inga. sp. 

bocconia arborea 


castilloa elastica 
ficus elastica 
hippocratea sp. 


cupressus benthaniana 
cedrela glaziovii 
cedrus deodora 
cedrela odorata 
eriodendron occidentale 
cumbretum jacquini 
cumbretum laxum 
cupressus sempervirens 
pachira 

robinia sp. 

smilax rotundifolia 
erhytrinacorallodendron 
rhinchosia precatoria 
bursera bipinnata 
bursera jorullensis 
cyrtocarpia procera 
coutarea latifolia 
croton tiglium 

cordia dodecandra 
criptomeria japonica 
cordia boissieri 
parmentieri edulis 
bursera aptera 
hymenaea courbaril 
cedrela mexicana 
bursera bipinnata 
bursera gumifera 


009 


Zone in which the 
tree grows: 
tropic 


tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 


tropic 
tropic 
tropic 


cold 
tropic 
cold 
cold 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
cold 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
temperate 
tropic 
temperate 
tropic 
tropic 
cold 
tropic 
tropic 


OIO 


Common name: 


chacsinkin 
chamal 
chante 
chantecoc 
chaparro prieto 
chaquicox 
chichen 
chicozapote 
chijol 
chilte 
chintoc 
Divi-divi 
dracena 
durillo 
ebano (ebony) 
ebano veteado 
ebano mulato 
encino (oak) 
encinilla 
evonimo 
eucalipto 
tus) 
frijolillo 
Garabato 
gateado colorado 
gatufio 
granadillo 


granjeno 
grevilia 
guaje 
guamara 
guasima 
guayacan 
guayacan 


guayacan colorado 


guayo 
guayul 


guindo-guayabillo 


Hobo 

huisache 
huisache 

Jabin or tuzohe 
jaboncillo 
jaboncillo 


(eucalyp- 


The Republic of Mexico 


Botanical name: 


caesalpinia pulcherrima 
dioon edule 
ariocarpus fissuratus 
brosium alicastrum 
mimosa sp. 

quercus virens 
hippomane mancinella 
achras sapote 
piscidia erytrina 
manihot foetida 
hymenaea sp. 
caesalpinia coriaris 
dracena indivisa 
viburnum tinus 
diospyros ebenaster 
diospyros velutina 
calliandra formosa 
quercus 

croton dioicus 
evonimus japonica 
eucalyptus globulus 


ecacia_ berlandieri 
pisonia hirsuta 
swietenia humilis 
mimosa biuncifera 
pithocolobium muIti- 
florum 
celtis pallida 
grevilea robusta 
lagenaria vulgaris 
bromelia pinguin 
guazuma polibotrya 
guaiacum sanctum 
curiacum 
tabebuia guayacan 
melicocca bijuga 
vauquelia corymbrosa 
cerasus caproniana 
spondias lutea 
acacia tortuosa 
acacia albicans 
piscidia erytrina 
sapindus sp. 
sapindus drumondi 


Zone in which the 
tree grows: 
tropic 
temperate 
temperate 
tropic 
temperate 
cold 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
temperate 
temperate 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
cold 
cold 
temperate 
temperate 


tropic 
temperate 
tropic 
temperate 
tropic 


temperate 
temperate 
temperate 
temperate 
tropic 
temperate 
temperate 
temperate 
tropic 
temperate 
tropic 
tropic 
emperate 
temperate 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 





The Republic of Mexico 


Common name: 


jarilla 

jotlatia 

Laurel 

laurel 

lentisco 

limoncillo 

linaloe 

Macallo 

madrono 
tree) 

magnolia 

majagua 

mamey (mammee) 

manta 

manzanillo 

maxche 

mangle prieto 

mangle rojo 

mezquite (mesquit) 

mezquitillo 

mimbre 

moral 

morera (black mul- 
berry tree) 

morera 

mulato 

Navia 

nazareno 

nogal (walnut-tree) 

nogal 

nogal 

ocote (fir-tree) 

olmo (elm-tree) 

oyamel (sacred fir- 
tree) 

Palo blanco 

palo blanco 

palo blanco 

palo blanco 

palo blanco 

palo amarillo 

palo brea 

palo colorado 

palo de acro 

palo de fierro 


(straw- 


Botanical name: 


senecio vernus 
jotlatia 
laurus cerasus 
litsea glaucescens 
forrestiera phillyroideas 
dalea citriodora 
bursera aloexylon 
andira excelsa 
arctostaphyllus 
tosa 
magnolis grandiflora 
hibiscum tiliacens 
lucuma mammosa 
caesalpinia sp. 
hippomane mancinella 
hippomane mancinella 
conocarpus erecta 
rhizophora mangle 
prosopis juliflora 
cassia occidentalis 
chylopsis saligna 
chlophora tinctoria 
morus nigra 


tomen- 


morus latifolia 
celtis berlandieri 
caesalpinia sp. 
brosium alicastrum 
juglans regia 
carya oliveaformis 
juglans rupestris 
pinus teocote 

olmus campestris 
abies religiosa 


celtis berlandieri 
ipomaea murocoides 
celtis occidentalis 
forrestiera phyllycoides 
lysiloma candida 
berberis pinnata 
circidius unijuga 
quercus virens 

tecoma stans 

brya ebenus 


Zone in which the 
tree grows: 


temperate 
tropic 
temperate 
temperate 
temperate 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
cold 


tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
temperate 
temperate 
temperate 
tropic 
temperate 


temperate 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
temperate 
temperate 
temperate 
cold 
temperate 
cold 


temperate 
tropic 
temperate 
temperate 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
cold 
tropic 
tropic 


O12 


Common name: 


palo de rosa 

palo dulce 

palo del brasil 

palo verde 

palo mulato 

palo mulato 

palo de rosa amarilla 


paraiso or lila 
parota 


peine de mico 
peru 
piche 


pinabete (fir-tree) 
pino de azucar 
pino real (pine) 
pino real 

pino triste 

pino corcho 
pifion 

pinion 

pifoncillo 

pochote (cotton-tree) 
pochote 


poom or copal 
propiste 

pucté 

Quebracho 
quiebra hacha 
Ramon blanco 
retama 

roble (oak) 
rosadillo amarillo 
Sabino 

sabino 

sauco 

sarache 

sicomoro 

sophora 

Tamaris 

tamay or tamarindo 
taray de rio 


The Republic of Mexico 


Botanical name: 


tecoma multiflora 
eysenhardtia sp. 
caesalpinia boreale 
parkinsonia torreyana 
simaruba sp. 
celtis berlandieri 
cachlospermum 
coides 
melia azederach 
enterolobium 
carpum 
apeiba tibourbou 
schinus molle 
enterolobium 
pum 
abies religiosa 
pinus lambertia 
pinus montezumae 
pinus pseudostrobus 
pinus lumholtzii 
pseudotsuga douglasii 
pinus cembroides 
pinus osteoperma 
jatropha curcas 
eriodendron grandiflora 
eriodendron aesculi- 
forme 
cyrtocarpia procera 
candomina sp. 
terminalia buceras 
copaifera 
hymenaea sp. 
trophis americana 
cassia laevigata 
quercus macrophilla 
cedrela sp. 
juniperus mexicana 
taxodium mucronatum 
sambucus nigra 
excetemum sp. 
acer platanoides 
sophora japonica 
tamaris plumosa 
tamarindus indicus 
salix taxifolia 


hibis- 


ciclo- 


ciclocar- 


Zone in which the 
tree grows: 

tropic 

tropic 

tropic 

tropic 

tropic 

temperate 

tropic 


temperate 
tropic 


tropic 
temperate 
tropic 


cold 
cold 
cold 
cold 
cold 
tropic 
cold 
cold 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 


tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
temperate 
temperate 
tropic 
temperate 
temperate 
temperate 
tropic 
temperate 
temperate 
temperate 
tropic 
temperate 





The Republic of Mexico 


Common name: 


taray or vara dulce 


tascate 
tepehuaje 
tepehuaje 
teposan 
tescalama 
tezota or tepemez- 
quite 
torote 
troeno 
tuya 
tuzohe 
Valama 
vara prieta 
Xanxenero 
Yac or chicozapote 
yoloxochitl 
Zacocon 
zalate 
zapote prieto 
zapotillo 
zempasuchil 
ziziacche 
zopilote 
zubinche 


Botanical name: 


eysenhardtia ortho- 
carpa 

juniperus virginiana 

acacia sp. 

lysiloma acapulcensis 

buddleia humboldtiana 

ficus sp. 


prosopis sp. 


bursera microphylla 
ligustrum japonica 
thuya gigantea 
piscidia orytrina 
vitex mollis 
caesalpinia gracillis 
acacia sp. 

achras sapote 
talauma mexicana 
tabebuia guayacan 
ficus sp. 

diospyros ebenaster 
achras sapote 
tagetes erecta 
achras sapote 
swiestenia mahogani 
brya ebenus 


013 


Zone in which the 
tree grows: 


temperate 


cold 
tropic 
tropic 
temperate 
tropic 
temperate 


tropic 
temperate 
temperate 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
temperate 
tropic 
tropic 
temperate 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 
tropic 











INDEX 


Abejero, 472 
abeto (see “pinabete’’) 
abulon negro (fish), 461 
Acambaro, 555 
Acaponeta, 563 
Acapulco, 556 
Acatlan, 566 
Acayucan, 573 
acebuche (tree), 208 
Actopan, 557 
Administration of Mexico, 52 
agate, 355, 363, 369 
agricultural enterprises (new), 
58, 61, 69, 73, 76, 80, 85, 89, 
94, 100, 105, 109, 113, 117, 
124, 134, 137, 139, 145, 167 
Agriculture, 56 
aguacate, 66, 70, 98 
aguacatillo, 192, 197, 199, 203 
aguamas, 146 
aguamiel, 97, 131 
Agua Prieta, 570 
aguardiente de 
“rum’’) 
Aguascalientes (city), 545 
AGUASCALIENTES, STATE OF 
General Survey, 10 
Inhabitants, 11 
Area, 11 
Geographical situation, 11 
Agriculture, 57 
Forests, 174 
Live-stock raising, 210 
Commerce, 263 
Manufacturing Industries, 304 
Mining Industries, 347 
Climate, 375 
Rainfall, 375 
Mountains, 376 
Rivers, 376 


canfa (see 


Roads, 497 
Railways, 496 
Mail, 497 
Telegraph, 497 
Telephone, 497 
Flora, 459 
Fauna, 459 
Hunting, 459 
Cities and Towns, 545 
Ahome, 569 
Ahuacatlan, 563 
ahuehuete, 179, 
199, 204 
aile, 193, 195, 204 
alabacora (fish), 461 
alabaster, 350 
alamillo, 188, 208 
Alamos, 570 
alanchon, 194 
alcohol distilleries, 317, 329, 331, 
340 
alder-tree, 188, 193, 202 
alfalfa, 149 
algodoncillo, 203 
alligator, 483 
alligator-pear (see “aguacate”), 
114, 118, 121, 188 
Altata, 569 
Altar, 570 
alum, 359 
Alvarado, 573 
amapa, 188, 192, 199 
amapabola (see “chucté”) 
amate, 191, 195 
Amatlan, 573 
amber (yellow), 350 
Amealca, 567 
Ameca, 558 
Amecameca, 560 
American lion (see “puma”) 


180; 186, 193, 


O17 


O18 


amethysts, 355, 369 

anacahuita, pino (see “pine’’) 

Angangueo, 561 

Angostura, 569 

anona, 65, 95, 114, 125 

anteburro (see “tapir’’) 

antimony, 358, 362, 363, 365, 366, 
368, 372 

Apizaco, 572 

apple, 70, 73, 77, 98, 101, 106, 121 

archaeological ruins, 373 

armadillo, 491 

arrayan, 199, 202 

Arellano, 496 

artichoke, 89 

Asientos, 546 

ash (tree), 180, 181, 194 

asphalt, 350,358, 369 

Atlixco, 566 

Autlan, 558 

ayacahuite, 195 

Ayutla, 556, 558 

azafrancillo, 328, 330 

Azcapozalco, §53 


Badiraguato, 569 

bagre (fish), 474 | 

BAJA CALIFORNIA, STATE OF 
General Survey, 11, 12 
Inhabitants, 11 
Area, 11 
Geographical situation, 12 
Agriculture, 60 
Forests, 174 
Live-stock raising, 211 
Commerce, 264 
Manufacturing Industries, 305 
Mining Industries, 348 
Climate, 376 
Rainfall, 376 
Mountains, 377 
Rivers, 377° ~ 
Lagoons, 377 
Railways, 497 
Roads, 497 
Mail, 498 
Telegraph, 498 
Telephone, 498 
Ports, 443 
Islands, 443 
Flora, 459 


The Republic of Mexico 


Fauna, 460 

Hunting, 460 

Fishing, 460 

Cities and Towns, 546 

balao (fish), 491 

balsam-tree, 181, 203, 205 

banana, 70, 110, 125, 154 

Banderilla, 573 

banking institutions (see “Com- 
merce’’ ) 

bari, 194, 203 

barley, 57, 72, 75, 82, 88, 97, 104, 
113 

basil, sweet, 145 

basketware, 321 

Batopilas, 550 

beans, 57, 60, 63, 72, 75, 82, 99, 
127, 133, 138 

bear, 466, 469, 471, 486 

beaver, 480 

beech-tree, 180, 186 

bee-raising (see 
raising”’) 

beet, 82, 100, 109, 144 

bejuco (tree), 203 

berrendo, 466 

biscuit factories, 325, 334 

bismuth, 355, 368 

bison (see “buffalo’’) 

blanket factories (see “weaving 
mills”) 

bloodwood (see “palo de san- 
gre”) 

Boca del Rio, 573 

Bolafios, 558 

bonete, ror 

botete (fish), 461 

brasil, 179, 187, 199 

brasilete, 193 

Brazil-wood (see “brasil’’) 

breweries (beer), 308, 312, 320, 
322, 325, 327, 334, 340 

brick-works, 304, 319, 322, 327, 
340 

broom factories, 325 

buffalo, 466, 486 

bura (see “berrendo”) 

Business Opportunities (see 
chapters on Agriculture, 
Forests, Live-stock Raising, 
Commerce, Manufacturing 


“Live-stock 





The Republic of Mexico 


Industries and Mining In- 
dustries) 
butter (see “dairy’’) 


Cabbage, 82, 120 
cable service, 494 
cabrilla (fish), 461 
cabrilla de artillero (fish), 461 
cacahuananche, 185, 200, 203 
cacao (cocoa), 68, 79, 152, 164 
cachalote, 461 
cacomixtle, 468, 477 
Cadereyta, 564, 567 
cadillo, 309 
cahua, 192 
calabash, 82, 94, 120, 124, 144, 
164 
calamaries, 483, 492 
Calpulalpan, 572 
Calvillo, 546 
caimito, 66 
camachin, 175 
Camargo, 550 
camichin, 203 
CAMPECHE, STATE OF 
General Survey, 13 
Inhabitants, 13 
Area, 13 
Geographical situation, 14 
Agriculture, 63 
Forests, 175 
Live-stock raising, 213 
Commerce, 265 
Manufacturing Industries, 306 
Mining Industries, 349 
_ Climate, 377 
Rainfall, 377 
Mountains, 377 
Rivers, 378 
Lagoons, 378 
Sights, 378 
Roads, 499 
Railways, 498 
Mail, 499 
Telegraph, 499 
Telephone, 499 
Ports, 444 
Islands, 445 
Flora, 462 
Fauna, 462 
Hunting, 462 


O19 


Fishing, 462 
Cities and Towns, 547 
Campeche (city of), 547 
campechea-wood (see 
wood”) 
Cananea, 570 
candelilla-wax, 309, 310, 313 
candy factories, 308, 315 
candle factories, 315, 317, 340 
cane-rum (see “rum’’) 
cantaloupe, 138, 168 
capomo, 188, 203 
capulin (fruit), roz, 121, 165, 
188 
capulin (timber), 205 
carbonate of lime, 357 
cari (tree), 202 
carriage factories, 319, 325 
carrot, 80, 109, 144 
cart manufactories, 
334 
Casas Grandes, 550 
cascalote, 60, 72, 79, 94, 109 
castor-oil plant, 85, 168 
cat (mountain or wild), 469 
Catemaco, 573 
Catorce, 568 
cattle (see “live stock’’) 
cazon (fish), 461 
cedar, 174, 176, 187, 191, 196, 
201, 208 
Cedral, 568 
Celaya, 554 
celery, 82 
cement, 312, 317 
cepillo del diablo (tree), 203 
Cerritos, 568 
chabacano, 58, 86 
Chacaltianguis, 573 
chacté, 176 
chachahuente, 194 
chachalaca, 472 
Chalco, 561 
chamal, 193 
Chapala, 558 
chaparro, 179 
chaparro prieto, 193 
charro, 210 
chavacano, 73, 114, 121 
chayote, 105, 109, 128, 164 
cheese (see “dairy’”) 


“log- 


319, 325, 


620 


chemical products, factories of, 
325 
cherimoyer, 90 
cherry-tree (wild), 189 
chewing-gum factories, 325 
Chiapa de Corzo, 549 
CHIAPAS, STATE OF 
General Survey, 14 
Inhabitants, 15 
Area, 15 
Geographical situation, 15 
Agriculture, 67 
Forests, 177 
Live-stock raising, 214 
Commerce, 266 
Manufacturing Industries, 307 
Mining Industries, 350 
Climate, 379 
Rainfall, 379 
Mountains, 379 
Rivers, 379 
Lakes, 379 
Waterfalls, 380 
Archaeological ruins, 381 
Roads, 501 
Railways, 500 
Mail, sor 
Telegraph, sor 
Telephone, sor 
Ports, 445 
Flora, 462 
Fauna, 464 
Hunting, 464 
Fishing, 464 
Cities and Towns, 548 
Chiautla, 566 
chicalote oil, 309, 318 
chickpea, 75, 88, 100, 109, 116, 
120, 133, 148 
chickling vetch, 158 
chicle, 176 
Chicontepec, 573 
chicozapote, 80, 118, 125, 196, 
202 
Chilapa, 556 
chile, 57,..72,; 82, $8). 100, 132; 
133, 138, 144 
chilte, 484 
chijol, 186, 205 
Chinameca, 573 
china orange, 63 


The Republic of Mexico 


Chihuahua (city), 549 
CHIHUAHUA, STATE OF 
General Survey, 15 
Inhabitants, 17 
Geographical situation, 17° 
Area, 17 
Agriculture, 71 
Forests, 178 
Live-stock raising, 216 
Commerce, 267 
Manufacturing Industries, 308 
Mining Industries, 351 
Climate, 381 
Rainfall, 381 
Mountains, 381 
Rivers, 382 
Lakes, 382 
Lagoons, 382 
Archaeological ruins, 383 
Roads, 503 
Railways, 501 
Mail, 503 
Telegraph, 503 
Telephone, 503 
Flora, 464 
Fauna, 466 
Hunting, 466 
Fishing, 466 
Cities and Towns, 549 
Chilpancingo, 556 
chilte, 203 
chirimoya (see “cherimoyer’’) 
chirinduyo, 469 
chocolate factories, 312, 315, 341 
Cholula, 566 
chopa rayada (fish), 461, 485 
chucté, 200 
chucum (tree), 207 
cibolo (see “buffalo’”’) 
cigar factories, 319, 340 
cigarette factories, 304, 312, 319, 
322, 340, 341, 342 
cinnabar, 361, 365, 366, 372 
cinnamon, 177 
ciprés, 205 
Ciudad del Maiz, 568 
Ciudad Garcia, 575 
Ciudad Guerrero, 550 
Ciudad Guzman, 558 
Ciudad Juarez, sor 
Ciudad Lerdo, 554 





The Republic of Mexico 


Ciudad Victoria, 571 
clavellina, 324 
clay, pottery, 350, 371 
Climate, 373 
COAHUILA, STATE OF 
General Survey, 17 
Inhabitants, 18 
Area, 18 
Geographical situation, 19 
Agriculture, 74 
Forests, 180 
Live-stock raising, 217 
Commerce, 268 
Manufacturing Industries, 309 
Mining Industries, 352 
Climate, 384 
Rainfall, 384 
Mountains, 384 
Rivers, 385 
Lagoons, 385 
Archaeological ruins, 385 
Roads, 505 
Railways, 503 
Mail, 505 
Telegraph, 505 
Telephone, 505 
Flora, 466 
Fauna, 467 
Hunting, 467 
Cities and Towns, 550 
coal, 348, 350, 351, 352, 356, 358, 
361, 362, 363, 366, 368, 369 
Coatepec, 572 
cocoa (see “cacao” ) 
cocoito, 192, 202 
cocono silvestre, 469 
coconut, 80, 95, 125, 136, 154 
Cocorit, 570 
coffee, 60, 68, 79, 96, 109, 116, 
123, 127, 138, 152 
cojolite, 491 
cold zone, 373 
Colima (city), 551 
CoLIMA, STATE OF 
General Survey, 19 
Inhabitants, 20 
Area, 20 
Geographical situation, 20 
Agriculture, 79 
Forests, 181 
Live-stock raising, 219 


021 


Commerce, 270 
Manufacturing Industries, 311 
Mining Industries, 352 
Climate, 386 
Rainfall, 386 
Mountains, 386 
Rivers, 386 
Lagoons, 386 
Archaeological ruins, 387 
Roads, 506 
Railways, 506 
Mail, 506 
Telegraph, 506 
Telephone, 506 
Ports, 446 
Islands, 447 
Flora, 467 
Fauna, 467 
Hunting, 467 
Fishing, 467 
Cities and Towns, 551 
Colonia Dublan, 550 
colorin, 188 
colorin chiquito, 188 
Colotlan, 558 
Comala, 551 
Comitan, 548 
Commerce, 262 
Compostela, 563 
Concordia, 569 
conepatl, 492 
Constitution of Mexico, 52 
coon, 491 
copal, 185, 187, 189 
copalchi (tree), 203 
copalxihuitl, 329 
copalillo, 198 
copper, 347, 349, 350, 351, 352, 
354, 355, 358, 360, 361, 365, 
366, 368, 369, 372 
Coquimatlan, 552 
coquito de aceite, 61 
cordage and allied factories, 
315, 325, 341 
Cordoba, 572 
corn, 57, 60, 63, 68, 72, 75, 82, 
84, 88, 96, 99, 104, 108, 120, 
123, 127, 133, 138 
corralero, 480 
Cosala, 569 
Cosamaloapan, 574 


622 


Cosautlan, 574 

Coscomatepec, 573 

Cotijo, 562 

cotton, 60, 72, 75, 84, 94, 143, 
148, 155, 162 

Coyoacan, 553 

coyote, 459 

Coyuca, 557 

crane, 492 

crockery factories, 319, 342 

crops (see “Agriculture” ) 

Cuatro Ciénegas, 551 

Cuautla, 558, 562 

cucumber, 80 

Cuernavaca, 562 

Cuichapa, 574 

Culiacan, 568 

Cunduacan, 570 

Cuquio, 558 

Cusihuirachic, 550 

custard apple (see “anona’’) 

Cuyutlan, 552 

cypress (see “ciprés’’) 

Dairy (see “Live-stock Rais- 
ing’) 

damiana, 460 

danta (see “tapir’”) 

date, 61, 146 

datil cimarron, 146 


deer, 460, 479, 483, 489 

depots (railway) see 

roads” 

DISTRITO FEDERAL 
General Survey, 20 
Inhabitants, 21 
Area, 21 
Geographical situation, 21 
Agriculture, 82 
Forests, 181 
Live-stock raising, 222 
Commerce, 271 


“rail- 


Manufacturing Industries, 311 


Climate, 387 
Rainfall, 387 
Mountains, 387 
Rivers, 388 
Lakes, 388 
Roads, 507 
Railways, 506 


The Republic of Mexico 


Mail, 508 
Telegraph, 508 
Telephone, 508 
Flora, 468 
Fauna, 468 
Hunting, 468 
Cities and Towns, 552 
divi-divi, 491 
Doctor Arroyo, 563 
Dolores Hidalgo, 556 
dolphin, 461 
donkeys (see “live stock’’) 
dragon’s blood, 186 
drainage, 141 
duck (wild), 469 
Durango (city), 553 
DURANGO, STATE OF 
General Survey, 21 
Inhabitants, 22 
Area, 22 
Geographical situation, 22 
- Agriculture, 84 
Forests, 182 
Live-stock raising, 222 
Commerce, 273 
Manufacturing Industries, 312 
Mining Industries, 353 
Climate, 388 
Rainfall, 389 
Mountains, 389 
Rivers, 389 | 
Archaeological ruins, 391 
Roads, 510 
Railways, 508 
Mail, 510 
Telegraph, 510 
Telephone, 510 
Flora, 468 
Fauna, 469 
Hunting, 469 
Cities and Towns, 553 
duraznillo, 91 
dynamite factories, 313 


Eagle, 472, 477 

earthenware, 304, 319 

ébano mulato, 200 

ebony, 181, 192, 194, 202 

edible plants (alphabetical list 
of 

Ejutla, 565 





The Republic of Mexico 


El Oro, 561 

Elota, 569 

Encarnacion de Diaz, 558 

encinilla, 193 

Engineering Enterprises (see 
Roads, Railroads; also Ir- 
rigation, Waterfalls) 

Ensenada, 547 

erizo (fish), 46x 

esmarrida (fish), 489 

espino, 185, 196 

estrellita (fish), 461 

Etzatlan, 558 

Export trade (see “Commerce’’) 

evergreen oak, 177, 194, 205 


farms (see “haciendas” ) 

Fauna, 458 

feldspar, 355 

fiber (articles made of), 324 

figs, 58, 61, 73, 77 

fir-tree, 190 

Fishing, 458 

flamingo, 483 

flax, 334 

Flora, 458 

flour mills, 304, ip 313, 319, 
322, 325, 329, 342 

fodder plants (alphabetical list 
of ) 

Forests, 173 

foundries, 307, 309, 325, 332, 
342 

fowl, wild (see “chachalaca” ) 

Fresnillo, 575 

frijolillo, 194, 471 

Frontera, 570 

fruits (alphabetical list of) 

fruit-growing (see ‘Horticul- 
ture”) 

fruit-preserving plants, 319 

Fuerte, 569 

furniture factories, 304, 312, 325, 


341 


Galeana, 563 

galena, 355, 363 

garabato, 188, 193 
garambullo, 95 

garavance (see “chickpea” ) 
garlic, 82, 100, 120 


023 


garza, 491 
gasoline (see “petroleum’’) 
General Survey, 9 
General Trevino, 563 
Geographical situation, 9 
ginger, 145 
glass factories, 319, 320, 340 
goat, wild (see “berrendo’”) 
goats (see “live stock”’) 
gobernadora, 310, 314 
gold, 347, 348, 350, 351, 352, 354, 
355, 357) 358, 359, 360, 361, 
363, 365, 366, 369 
Gomez Palacio, 554 
granadillo, 187 
granjeno, 193 
grape, 58, 61, 73, 77 
grapefruit, 61 
grape-vine, 59 
graphite, 366 
guacimilla, 200 
Guadalajara, 557 
Guadalajara crockery, 318 
Guadalupe Hidalgo, 553 
guajalote (see “turkey’’) 
guaje, 185, 196 
guamara, 324 
guanabano, 65, 168 
Guanajuato (city of), 554 
GUANAJUATO, STATE OF 
General Survey, 22 
Inhabitants, 22 
Area, 22 
Geographical situation, 22 
Agriculture, 88 
Forests, 183 
Live-stock raising, 224 
Commerce, 273 
Manufacturing Industries, 314 
Mining Industries, 354 
Climate, 391 
Rainfall, 391 
Mountains, 391 
Rivers, 392 
Archaeological ruins, 392 
Roads, 511 
Railways, 511 
Mail, 513 
Telegraph, 513 
Telephone, 513 


6024 


Flora, 469 
Fauna, 470 
Hunting, 470 
Fishing, 470 
Cities and Towns, 554 
guano deposits (see “Islands”) 
guapilla, 145, 324, 333 
guasima, 188, 194, 196, 202, 324 
guava, 70, 80, 106, 114 118, 121, 
125, 165, 196 
guayabillo, 187 
guayabo, 187 
guayacan, 201 
Guaymas, 570 
guayul (tree), 193 
guayule, 85, 310 
GUERRERO, STATE OF 
General Survey, 24 
Inhabitants, 25 
Area, 25 
Geographical situation, 25 
Agriculture, 93 
Forests, 184 
Live-stock raising, 226 
Commerce, 275 
Manufacturing Industries, 316 
Mining Industries, 355 
Climate, 393 
Rainfall, 393 
Mountains, 393 
Rivers, 393 
Flora, 470 
Fauna, 470 
Hunting, 471 
Fishing, 472 
Roads, 514 
Railways, 513 
Mail, 514 
Telegraph, 514 
Telephone, 514 
Ports, 447 
Islands, 448 
Cities and Towns, 556 
Gutierrez Zamora, 574 


Sypsum, 370 


Haba, 82 

hacienda (name 
Latin-America_ to 
estates or farms) 


applied in 
landed 


The Republic of Mexico 


haciendas (see “Live-stock 
Raising”) 
haricot beans, 84, 88 
hats (see “palm hats’’) 
hawthorn, 177, 186 
hectare (2.47 acres) 
hectoliter (100 liters or a little 
over 26 gallons) 
hemp (see “flax’’) 
henequen, 63, 145, 167 
Hermosillo, 569 
heron, 464,469 
HIDALGO, STATE OF 
General Survey, 25 
Inhabitants, 26 
Area, 26 
Geographical situation, 26 
Agriculture, 96 
Forests, 186 
Live-stock raising, 227 
Commerce, 276 
Manufacturing Industries, 317 
Mining Industries, 356 
Climate, 394 
Rainfall, 394 
Mountains, 394 
Rivers, 395 
Lakes, 395 
Lagoons, 395 
Archaeological ruins, 396 
Roads, 515 
Railways, 514 
Mail, 515 
Telegraph, 515 
Telephone, 515 
Flora, 472 
Fauna, 473 
Hunting, 473 
Cities and Towns, 557 


hides, 

hidromiel (see “aguamiel”) 

higuerilla (see “castor - oil 
plant’) 


hobo, 188, 192, 199, 203 

hoco (bird), 491 

hog (wild), 462, 471 

hogs (see “live stock”) 

honey, 105 

horse beans, 149 

horses (see “live stock’’) 
Horticulture, 58, 61, 64, 70, 73, 





The Republic of Mexico 


76, 80, 83, 86, 90, 95, 98, Ior, 
TOG, 5110, 514, x13, 121, 125, 
129, 134, 140, 146, 150, 170 

hot zone, 373 

Huajuapan de Leon, 564 

Huamantla, 572 

huamichil, 95, 118, 146, 186 

Huamurtitlan, 556 

Huatusco, 572 

huauchinango, 490 

Huejotzingo, 565 

Huejutla, 557 

huevo de gato, 192 

huiduri (see “tiger’’) 

Huimanguillo, 570 

huisache, 174, 180, 187, 193, 197, 
205, 208 

Hunting, 458 


Iceplants (in nearly every state) 

Iguala, 556 

Import trade (see “Commerce” ) 

Indian fig (see “opuntia” ) 

industrial plants and_ herbs 
(alphabetical list of), 597 

inhabitants, 9 

Investment chances (see “Busi- 
ness Opportunities” ) 

Irapuato, 555 

iron, 348, 350, 351, 352, 354, 357, 
358, 361, 363, 365, 366, 368, 
369 

iron-bed factories, 325 

ironwood, 176 

irrigation, 85, 87, 103, 122, 135, 
141, 171 

islands, 443 

ixpengua, 145 

Ixtlahuaca, 561 

Ixtlan, 563 

Ixtapalapa, 553 

ixtle, 145, 156, 311, 326 


Jabali (see “hog, wild”) 
jabin, 176, 192, 200, 203 
jaboncillo, 203 
Jalacingo, 573 


Jalapa, 573 
JALIsco, STATE OF 


General Survey, 26 
Inhabitants, 27 


025 


Area, 27 
Geographical situation, 27 
Agriculture, 99 
Forests, 187 
Live-stock raising, 230 
Commerce, 277 
Manufacturing Industries, 318 
Mining Industries, 357 
Climate, 397 
Rainfall, 397 
Mountains, 397 
Rivers, 398 
Lakes, 398 
Lagoons, 398 
Archaeological ruins, 399 
Roads, 517 
Railways, 516 
Mail, 518 
Telephone, 518 
Telegraph, 518 
Flora, 473 
Fauna, 474 
Hunting, 474 
Fishing, 474 
Cities and Towns, 557 
Jalisco, 563 
Jalpan, 567 
Jamay, 558 
Jaral del Valle, 556 
jasper, 366 
Jaumave, 571 
Jerez (see “Ciudad Garcia”) 
jicama, 65, 70, 91, 95, 106 
Jimenez, 550 
jiniguano (fish), 461, 466 
Jipi palm, 328 
jobo, 70 
jojoba, 149 
Juanacatlan, 558 
Juchipila, 575 
Juchitan, 565 
juniper-tree, 186 


Kaolin, 359 

kilogram (2% pounds) 

kilometer (nearly five-eighths of 
a mile) 


La Barca, 558 
La Barra, 571 
labor conditions, 53 


620 


lagoons, 373 

Lagos de Moreno, 559 

Laguna de Términos 

lakes, 373 

Lampazos, 563 

lamprea (fish), 474 

lanchan, 202 

land (Federal lands), 62, 67, 71, 
74, 88, 92, 96, 107, 112, 126, 
138, 143, 147, 152, 155, 158, 
166 

land (prices of), 59, 62, 71, 78, 
81, 84, 88, 92, 96, 99, 104, 
107, 111; ELS, 119, 1392,9137, 
136, 142, 147, 151, 155, 157, 
161, 166, 171 

lands, obtainable (see “lands, 
Federal’) 

language, the national, of Mex- 
Ico, 55 

La Paz, 546 

La Piedad Cabadas, 561 

lapis lazuli, 369 

lapon (fish), 461 

lasts, shoemakers’, 315 

laurel, 187, 194, 196, 198, 202 

lead, 347, 348, 351, 352, 354, 355; 
357, 358, 361, 365, 368, 369 

leather goods, factories of, 312, 


319 
lecherillo, 185 
lechuguilla, 309, 313, 332 
lemon, 98, 118, 121 
lentil, 72, 80, 133 
Leon, 554 
leoncillo, 480 
leopard (see “tiger” ) 
lettuce, 82 
lighthouses (see “Ports and Is- 

lands”) 
lima (see “lime’’) 
lime (fruit), 61, 70, 98, 118, 121 
lime (quicklime) 
limoncillo, 203 
linaloe, 196, 330 
Linares, 563 
linseed oil, 334 
lion, American, 462 
liquidambar, 177, 196 
lisita (fish), 461 


The Republic of Mexico 


liter (a little more than a liquid 
quart) 

Live-stock Raising, 209 

Live-stock farms (see “hacien- 
das” 

liza (fish), 461, 466 

lobster, 461, 483 

logwood, 176, 202 

Los Reyes, 562 

luyn, 202 

lynx, 471 


Macaque, 483 

macaios, 485 

Madera, 550 

madrono, 180, 182, 191, 196 

Magdalena, 569 

maguey, 82 

mahogany, 
201, 203 

mahuate, 194 

mail service, 494 

majagua, 324 

Mamey, 552 

mammee, 65, 101, 106, 125 

manatee, 488, 489, 492 

mango, 61, 65, 98, 118, 125 

mangrove, 203 

Manufacturing Industries, 301 

manzanilla-tree, 193 

Manzanilla, 559 

Manzanillo, 552 

mapache, 471, 483 

maple, 193 

Maravatio, 561 

marble, 348, 354, 360, 361, 362, 
366, 368, 369 

marble, transparent 
cali”), 362 

Martinez de la Torre, 574 

martucha, 471 

Mascota, 559 

Matamoros, 571 

Matamoros Izucar, 566 

match factories, 304, 311, 332 

Matehuala, 568 

mat factories, 332, 341 

mats, 332, 341 

mattresses, 319 

Mazatlan, 568 


176,177), 181, 195; 


(seer. “te- 





The Republic of Mexico 


meat-packing plants, 322 
mechanical workshops, 307 
Medellin, 574 
medicinal plants 
list of) 
melon, 61, 73, 76, 118, 121, 125 
mercury, 351, 358, 369 
Mérida, 574 
mesquit, 174, 175, 180, 182, 191, 
196, 205, 208 
meter (about 39.37 inches) 
- Mexicali, 546 
Mexico City, 552 
Mexico, STATE OF 
General Survey, 27 
Inhabitants, 28 
Area, 28 
Geographical situation, 28 
Agriculture, 104 
Forests, 188 
Live-stock raising, 232 
Commerce, 279 
Manufacturing Industries, 320 
Mining Industries, 358 
Climate, 399 
Rainfall, 399 
Mountains, 399 
Rivers, 400 
Lakes, 400 
Archaeological ruins, 401 
Roads, 519 
Railways, 518 
Mail, 519 
Telegraph, 519 
Telephone, 519 
Flora, 475 
Fauna, 475 
Hunting, 475 
Fishing, 475 
Cities and Towns, t6o 
mezcal, 144 
Mezquitan, 559 
MICHOACAN, STATE OF 
General Survey, 29 
Inhabitants, 30 
Area, 30 
Geographical situation, 30 
Agriculture, 107 
Forests, 189 
Live-stock raising, 233 
Commerce, 280 


(alphabetical 


627 


Manufacturing Industries, 321 
Mining Industries, 359 
Climate, 402 
Rainfall, 402 
Mountains, 403 
Rivers, 403 
Lakes, 403 
Archaeological ruins, 405 
Roads, 521 
Railways, 520 
Mail, 521 
Telegraph, 521 
Telephone, 521 
Ports, 448 
Flora, 475 
Fauna, 476 
Hunting, 476 
Fishing, 476 
Cities and Towns, 561 
milk (see “dairy’) 
Minatitlan, 573 
mineral water works, 304, 312, 
327, 340, 342 
mining claims, 344 
mining concessions, 344 
Mining Industries, 344 
mirror factories, 312 
Misantla, 573 
Mixcoac, 553 
Mocorito, 569 
mojarra (fish), 461 
mojarra de aletas (fish), 461 
molasses, 68, 120, 122 
Monclava, 551 
Montemorelos, 563 
Monterrey, 563 
Morelia, 561 
MorELOs, STATE OF 
General Survey, 30 
Inhabitants, 31 
Area, 31 
Geographical situation, 31 
Agriculture, 112 
Forests, 190 
Live-stock raising, 235 
Commerce, 282 
Manufacturing Industies, 323 
Mining Industries, 359 
Climate, 405 
Rainfall, 405 
Mountains, 405 


628 


Rivers, 406 

Lakes, 406 

Archaeological ruins, 407 

Roads, 522 

Railways, 522 

Mail, 523 

Telegraph, 523 

Telephone, 523 

Flora, 476 

Fauna, 477 

Hunting, 477 

Fishing, 477 

Cities and Towns, 562 
Moroleon, 555 
morus latifolia 
morus nigra (see “mulberry’”) 
mosaic works, 315 
mother-of-pearl shell, 461, 489 
moto, 480 
mueca (fish), 468 
mulattowood (see 

lato”) 

mulberry-tree, 186, 194, 198, 202 
Mulegé, 546 
mules (see “live stock’) 


“palo mu- 


Nacozari, 569 

nahuate, 202, 206 

nance (see “nanche’’) 

nanche, 66, 95 

Naolinco, 573 

NAYARIT, STATE OF 
General Survey, 31 
Inhabitants, 33 
AYA, 3% 
Geographical situation, 33 
Agriculture, 115 
Forests, 191 
Live-stock raising, 236 
Commerce, 283 
Manufacturing Industries, 324. 
Mining Industries, 360 
Climate, 408 
Rainfall, 408 
Mountains, 408 
Rivers, 409 
Roads, 523 
Railways, 523 
Mail, 523 
Telegraph, 523 
Telephone, 523 


The Republic of Mexico 


Ports, 449 
Islands, 449 
Flora, 478 
Fauna, 478 
Hunting, 478 
Fishing, 478 
Cities and Towns, 562 
nazareno, 192, 194 
new industries that could be es- 
tablished (see “Manufac- 
facturing Industries”) 
Nieves, 575 
nitrate of soda, 350 
Nogales, 569, 574 
noodle factories, 304, 315, 340 
nuts, 73, 118, 121 
Nuevas Casas Grandas, 550 
Nuevo Laredo, 571 
NvuEvo LEON, STATE OF 
General Survey, 33 
Inhabitants, 34 
Area, 34 
Geographical situation, 34 
Agriculture, 119 
Forests, 193 
Live-stock raising, 239 
Commerce, 284 
Manufacturing Industries, 325 
Mining Industries, 360 
Climate, 409 
Rainfall, 409 - 
Mountains, 409 
Rivers, 409 
Archaeological ruins, 410 
Roads, 524 
Railways, 524 
Mail, 525 
Telegraph, 525 
Telephone, 525 
Flora, 479 
Fauna, 480 
Hunting, 480 
Fishing, 480 
Cities and Towns, 563 


Oak, 174, 175, 188, 191 

oats, 105, 108 

Oaxaca (city), 564 

OAXACA, STATE OF 
General Survey, 34 
Inhabitants, 35 


The Republic of Mexico 


Area, 35 
Geographical situation, 35 
Agriculture, 122 
Forests, 194 
Live-stock raising, 240 
Commerce, 285 
Manufacturing Industries, 326 
Mining Industries, 361 
Climate, 410 
Rainfall, 410 
Mountains, 410 
Rivers, 410 
Lakes, 411 
Lagoons, 411 
Archaeological ruins, 413 
Roads, 527 
Railways, 525 
Mail, 527 
Telegraph, 527 
Telephone, 527 
Ports, 449 
Islands, 450 
Flora, 480 
Fauna, 481 
Hunting, 481 
Fishing, 481 
Cities and Towns, 564 
ocetotle (see “tiger’’) 
ocote, 177, 187, 191, 197, 205 
ocotillo blanco, 194 
Ocotla, 565 
Ocotlan, 558 
oil (see “petroleum” ) 
oil mills, 310, 319, 322, 325, 340 
oil of turpentine, 319 
oils (vegetable) (see “oil mills”) 
ojite, 176 
Ojo Caliente, 575 
Ometepec, 557 
onions, 94, 100, 113, 120, 138 
onyx, 361, 362, 366 
opals, 356, 363, 369 
opuntia, 91, 157 
orange, 61, 70, 73, 118, 121, 125 
orange-tree, 187 
orchilla, 60 
ore-treating plants, 317 
Orizaba, 572 
ornamental plants (alphabetical 
list of ) 


otter, 466, 471, 479 


629 


ounce, 469, 476, 489 
oyamel, 180, 182, 186, 191 
oyster, 461 

oztohua, 471 


Pachuca, 557 

packthread, 327 

paint factories, 312 

Palisander, 177 

palm hats, 306, 307, 311, 326 

palo amarillo, 205 

palo blanco, 175, 187, 208 

palo colorado, 175, 208 

palo de arco, 194 

palo de brea, 175 

palo de Corps, 194 

palo de fierro, 192, 203 

palo de rosa, 177, 187, 199 

palo de moral 

palo dulce, 185, 187, 191 

palo busano, 194, 202 

palo lecherillo, 205 

palo Maria, 192 

palometa (fish), 461, 466 

palo mulato, 185, 192, 194 

palo prieto, 190 

palo ramoncillo, 194 

palo de sangre, 206 

palo santo, 194 

palo verde, 200 

panocha (see “sugar-cane’’) 

Papantla, 573 

papaw, 95, 146 

paper-box factories, 325 

paper mills, 319, 340 

Payo Obispo, 567 

paracata, 194 

pargo (fish), 461 

parota, 187, 190, 203 

Parral, 549 

Parras, 551 

parrot, 485 

pasturage (see “Live-stock Rais- 
ing”) 

pastures (see “pasturage’’) 

Patzcuaro, 561 

peach, 58, 70, 73, 76, 110, 121, 
125 

peanut, 72, 84, 133, 144 

pear, 73, 77; 121 

pearl diving, 460, 466, 480 


630 


peas, 109 

Penjamo, 555 

pepper (see “chile’’) 

perfumes, factories, 312, 319 

perico (fish), 461 

peron, 58, 77, 114 

Perote, 574 

Peso (Mexican dollar, worth 50 
cents American money) 

petroleum, 348, 349, 350, 353; 
356, 359, 362, 365, 367, 368, 
369, 371 

piano factories, 312 

Pichucalco, 549 

Piedras Negras, 551 

piloncillo (see “panocha”’) 

pimientillo (tree), 205 

pinabete, 186, 191, 196 

Pinal de Amoles, 567 

pine, 174, 177, 179, 187, 19% 

pineapple, 70 

pinguica (see “manzanilla’’) 

Pinos, 575 

pina anona (see “anona’’) 

piru, 185 

pita, 326 

pitahaya, 80, ror, 118, 146 

pitch-tree (see “palo de brea’) 

placers, 362, 367 

plantain, 61, 80, 118 

platano (see “plantain” ) 

plum, 80, 106, 114, 118 

pochote, 115, 162, 202, 326 

pomegranate, 76, 91, 98 

Poncitlan, 559 

poplar, 179, 186, 193, 195, 208 

porphyry, 362 

Ports, 443 

Post offices (see “mail service’) 

potato, Irish, 57, 60, 109, 120 

potato, sweet, 57, 79, 80, 97, 138 

potteries, 308, 319, 322 

poultry-rearing (see “Live-stock 
Raising”) 

powder factories, 313 

prairie dog, 466 

precipitation of rain (see “rain- 
fall”) 

prickly pear (see “tuna’’) 

Progreso, 575 

Puebla (city), 565 


The Republic of Mexico 


PUEBLA, STATE OF 
General Survey, 36 
Inhabitants, 37 
Area, 37 
Geographical situation, 37 
Agriculture, 126 
Forests, 195 
Live-stock raising, 242 
Commerce, 286 
Manufacturing Industries, 329 
Mining Industries, 362 
Climate, 415 
Rainfall, 415 
Mountains, 415 
Rivers, 416 
Lakes, 416 
Archaeological ruins, 417 
Roads, 529 
Railroads, 527 
Mail, 529 
Telegraph, 529 
Telephone, 529 
Flora, 481 
Fauna, 482 
Hunting, 482 
Cities and Towns, 565 
Pueblo Nuevo, 555 
Puente de Ixtla, 562 
puerco juin, 480 
Puerto Angel, 564 
Puerto Mexico, 572 
pulque, 89, 97, 158 
pulque fermenting plants, 317 
puma, 462, 466, 469, 471, 476, 
489 
pumpkin, 65 
purslane, 89 


Quail, 469 
quarries, 354, 358, 360, 365, 370 
Queretaro (city), 566 
QUERETARO, STATE OF 
General Survey, 37 
Inhabitants, 38 
Area, 38 
Geographical situation, 38 
Agriculture, 132 
Forests, 196 
Live-stock raising, 243 
Commerce, 287 
Manufacturing Industries, 330 


ee SS 


a 


The Republic of Mexico 


Mining Industries, 363 
Climate, 417 
Rainfall, 418 
Mountains, 418 
Rivers, 418 
Archaeological ruins, 418 
Roads, 530 
Railways, 529 
Mail, 530 
Telephone, 530 
Telegraph, 530 
Flora, 482 
Fauna, 483 
Hunting, 483 
Cities and Towns, 566 
quetzal, 464 
quiebrahacha, 177, 191 
quince, 58, 73, 76, 86, 101, 114, 
118, 146 
QUINTANA ROO, TERRITORY OF 
General Survey, 38 
Inhabitants, 39 
Area, 39 
Geographical situation, 39 
Agriculture, 136 
Forests, 198 
Live-stock raising, 245 
Commerce, 288 
Manufacturing Industries, 331 
Mining Industries, 364 
Climate, 419 
Rainfall, 419 
Mountains, 419 
Rivers, 419 
Archaeological ruins, 419 
Roads, 531 
Railways, 530 
Mail, 531 
Telegraph, 531 
Telephone, 531 
Flora, 483 
Fauna, 483 
Hunting, 483 
Fishing, 483 
Ports, 451 
Islands, 451 
Cities and Towns, 567 
quitan, 462 


Rabbit, 460 
rabbit, Perote, 491 


eds 


radish, 89, 113 

railroads (electric), 494 

railroads (that could be built). 
494 

railroads (in operation), 494 

rainfall (see Chapter VIII) 

ramié, 333, 334, 485 

ramon, 176 

ramoncillo, 185 

rasping machines, 341 

rayal (fish), 461 

Real del Monte, 557 

rebozos (see “shawls’’) 

Reynosa, 571 

rice, 63, 75, 79, 93, 100, 116 

Rincon, 555 

Rincon de Romos, 546 

Rio Blanco, 574 

Rio Verde, 568 

rivers, 373 

river tamarisk (see “tamarisk’’) 

roads, automobile, in operation, 


494 

roads, automobile, that could be 
built, 494 

roble, 177 

roccella 

chilla’’) 

rock salt, 366 

Romita, 555 

rope factories, 319, 332, 341 

Rosario, 568 

rosemary, 145 

rosewood (see “palo de rosa’) 

rugs (see “mats’’) 

ruins (archaeological) 

rum, 93, 109, 120, 317, 329, 340. 
342 

rye, 158 


cc 


tinctoria (see “or- 


Sabinas, 551 

Sabinas Hidalgo, 564 
sabino, 183, 198, 204, 208 
saddle factories, 308, 319 
saddle-tree factories, 308 
Sahuaripa, 569 

Sahuayo, 561 
Salamanca, 555 

Salina Cruz, 564 
Salinas, 568 


032 


Saltillo, 550 
salt works, location of, 341, 348, 
350, 353, 364, 368 
Salvatierra, 555 
San Andres Tuxtla, 572 
San Andres Chalchicomula, 566 
San Angel, 553 
San Bartolomé, 549 
San Blas, 562 
San Cristobal, 548 
sandia, 61 
San Felipe, 555 
San Ignacio, 569 
San Javier, 569 
San Jose del Cabo, 547 
San Juan del Rio, 554, 567 
San Juan de los Lagos, 558 
San Juan de los Llanos, 566 
San Juan Evangelista, 574 
San Lorenzo Cerralvo, 574 
San Luis de la Paz, 555 
San Luis Potosi (city), 567 
SAN Luis Potosi, STATE OF 
General Survey, 40 
Inhabitants, 41 
Area, 41 
Geographical situation, 41 
Agriculture, 138 
Forests, 198 
Live-stock raising, 246 
Commerce, 289 
Manufacturing Industries, 331 
Mining Industries, 364 
Climate, 420 
Rainfall, 420 
Mountains, 421 
Rivers, 421 
Roads, 532 
Railways, 531 
Mail, 532 
Telephone, 532 
Telegraph, 532 
Flora, 483 
Fauna, 484 
Hunting, 484 
Fishing, 484 
Cities and Towns, 567 
San Marcos, 559 
San Martin Texmelucan, 566 
San Miguel de Allende, 555 
San Miguel del Mezquital, 575 


The Republic of Mexico 


San Sebastian, 559 
Santa Ana, 571 
Santa Cruz de Bravo, 567 
Santana, 569 
Santa Lucrecia, 573 
Santa Maria del Rio, 568 
Santa Rosa, 574 
Santa Rosalia, 547 
Santiago Itcuintla, 562 
Santiago Papasquiaro, 554 
Santiago Tuxtla, 573 
sapodilla-gum, 176 
sapodilla-plum, 65 
sapota-gum, 176 
sapota, 65, 80, 98, 106, 111, 165, 
196 
saramuyo, 65, 168 
sardine, 468, 474 
sargo (fish), 461 
Sayula, 558 
scenery (see “sights” ) 
sea-cow (see “manatee” ) 
seal, 461 
sea-turtle, 461 
Secualtipan, 557 
sesame, 93, 100 
sesame-seed oil, 323, 330 
sheep (see “live-stock’’) 
sheep, wild, 460 
shoe factories, 312, 319 
sierra (fish), 461 
Sierra Mojada, 551 
sierras, 373 
sights, 373 
Silao, 555 
silex, 350 
silkworm, 58 
silver, 347, 348, 350, 351, 352, 
354, 355) 357) 358, 359, 360, 
361, 365, 366, 368, 369 
Sinaloa (city), 568 
SINALOA, STATE OF 
General Survey, 41 
Inhabitants, 42 
Area, 42 
Geographical situation, 42 
Agriculture, 143 
Forests, 199 
Live-stock raising, 248 
Commerce, 291 
Manufacturing Industries, 333 





The Republic of Mexico 


Mining Industries, 365 
Climate, 422 
Rainfall, 423 
Mountains, 423 
Rivers, 423 
Roads, 533 
Railways, 533 
Mail, 534 
Telegraph, 534 
Telephone, 534 
Ports, 451 
Islands, 452 
Flora, 484 
Fauna, 485 
Hunting, 485 
Fishing, 485 
Cities and Towns, 568 
siricote (tree), 203 
sisal (see “henequen”’) 
skins (see “Hunting” ) 
skunk, 491 
slate quarries, 348 
smelting works, 361 
soap factories, 310, 319, 327, 332, 
340, 342 
soco, 194 
Soconusco, 549 
soda water works (see “mineral 
water’’) 
Soledad Boblado, 574 
solenillo, 194, 205 
Sombrerete, 575 
SONORA, STATE OF 
General Survey, 42 
Inhabitants, 44 
Area, 44 
Geographical situation, 44 
Agriculture, 148 
Forests, 200 
Live-stock raising, 250 
Commerce, 292 
Manufacturing Industries, 334 
Mining Industries, 366 
Climate, 424 
Rainfall, 424 
Mountains, 424 
Rivers, 424 
Roads, 535 
Railways, 534 
Mail, 535 
Telegraph, 535 


033 


Telephone, 535 
Ports, 452 
Islands, 452 
Flora, 485 
Fauna, 486 
Hunting, 486 
Fishing, 486 
Cities and Towns, 569 
sorghum, 133 
Soto la Marina, 571 
sotol, 332 
spinning mills, 304, 308, 309, 312. 
314, 317, 320, 329, 332, 340, 
342 


-sponge-fishing, 481 


squash (see “calabash’’) 
starch works, 304, 311, 317, 319. 
322, 325 
stations, railroad 
roads” ) 
Steamship lines (see “Ports’’) 
stock farms (see “haciendas”) 
stone oak, 189 
strawberry, 90 
strawberry - tree 
dronio”’ ) 
sugar (see “sugar-cane’’) 
sugar-cane, 60, 68, 725 75) 79) 85, 
93, 96, 100, 108, 112, 116, 
11g, 122, 127, 138, 143 
sugar mills, 308, 320, 331, 340, 


(see “rail- 


«“ 


(see “ma- 


a 
sulphate of silver, 357 


sulphur, 350, 353, 354, 359, 36! 
Sultepec, 561 


TABASCO, STATE OF 
General Survey, 44 
Inhabitants, 45 
Area, 45 
Geographical situation, 45 
Agriculture, 152 
Forests, 201 
Live-stock raising, 251 
Commerce, 293 
Manufacturing Industries, 336 
Mining Industries, 367 
Climate, 426 
Rainfall, 426 
Mountains, 426 
Rivers, 426 


034 


Lakes, 426 
Archaeological ruins, 428 
Roads, 536 
Railways, 536 
Mail, 536 
Telegraph, 536 
Telephone, 536 
Ports, 453 
Islands, 454 
Flora, 486 
Fauna, 487 
Hunting, 487 
Fishing, 488 
Cities and Towns, 570 
Tacambaro, 561 
Tacuba, 553 
Tacubaya, 553 
talcum, 349, 350 
tamarind, 95 
tamarisk, 179 
TAMAULIPAS, STATE OF 
General Survey, 45 
Inhabitants, 47 
Area, 47 
Geographical situation, 47 
Agriculture, 155 
Forests, 202 
Live-stock raising, 253 
Commerce, 294 
Manufacturing Industries, 337 
Mining Industries, 367 
Climate, 428 
Rainfall, 429 
Mountains, 429 
Rivers, 429 
Archaeological ruins, 430 
Roads, 537 
Railways, 536 
Mail, 537 
Telegraph, 537 
Telephone, 537 
Ports, 454 
Islands, 455 
Flora, 488 
Fauna, 489 
Hunting, 489 
Fishing, 489 
Cities and Towns, 571 
Tampico, 571 
tanneries, 308, 315, 319, 322, 333 
tanning bark 


The Republic of Mexico 


Tapachula, 548 
Tapalpa, 559 
tapir, 234, 462, 464 
taray, 201 
tatemado, 133 
Taxco, 556 
tauch (black sapota) 
Tecali, 566 
tecali marble, 358 
tecomaca, 185, 194 
Tecoman, 552 
tecomaxochitl, 200, 324 
Tecpan, 556 
tejocote, 73, 83, 106 
tejon (see “mapache”’) 
Tehuacan, 565 
Tehuantepec, 564 
telegraph service, 494 
telephone service, 494 
Teloloapan, 556 
Temaxcaltepec, 560 
Temosachic, 550 
temperate zone, 373 
temperatures, 373 
Tenamaxtlan, 559 
Tenancingo, 561 
Tenango, 561 
Tenosique, 570 
Teocaltiche, 559 
Teocello, 574 
Teocuitatlan, 559 
Tepames, 552 
Tepatitlan, 559 
Tepeaca, 566 
tepeguaje (see “tepehuaje”) 
tepehuaje, 185, 188 
tepemezquite, 188, 205 
Tepezala, 546 
Tepic, 562 
tepozan, 188 
Tequila, 559 
tequila distilleries, 319 
Tequisquiapan, 567 
Tetecala, 562 
Texcoco, 560 
Teziutlan, 565 
tiburén volador (flying shark), 
485 
Tierra Blanca, 574 
tiger, 462, 464, 466, 476 
tiger-cat, 462, 476 


The Republic of Mexico 


tigrillo, 473 
timber (alphabetical list of) 
tin, 365 
Tixtla, 556 
tlachique (see “aguamiel’’) 
Tlacolula, 564 
Tlalcotalpan, 572 
Tlalnepantla, 561 
Tlalpam, 553 
Tlalpujahua, 561 
Tlaltenango, 575 
Tlapa, 557 
Tlaxcala (city), 571 
TLAXCALA, STATE OF 
General Survey, 47 
Inhabitants, 48 
Area, 48 
Geographical situation, 48 
Agriculture, 158 
Forests, 204 
Live-stock raising, 255 
Commerce, 295 
Manufacturing Industries, 338 
Mining Industries, 368 
Climate, 430 
Rainfall, 431 
Mountains, 431 
Rivers, 431 
Lagoons, 431 
Archaeological ruins, 431 
Roads, 537 
Railways, 537 
Mail, 538 
Telegraph, 538 
Telephone, 538 
Flora, 489 
Fauna, 490 
Hunting, 490 
Fishing, 490 
Cities and Towns, 571 
Tlaxco, 572 
Tlaxiaco, 565 
tobacco, 60, 68, 72, 85, 116, 127, 
140, 156, 163 
Toliman, 567 
Toluca, 560 
tomatoes, 113, 120, 128 
Tomatlan, 559 
ton (equivalent to a little over 
920 kilos) 
Tonaya, 559 


035 


Tonila, 559 

Tonola, 548 

Topolobampo, 569 

torch pine, 177, 194, 204 

tornachile, 72 

toronja, 61 

torote, 175 

torrid zone, 373 

Torreon, 551 

tortoise-shell turtle, 489 

tortoise-shell articles, 306 

transportation facilities for agri- 
cultural products (see 
“Agriculture” ) 

transportation facilities for for- 
estal products (see “For- 
ests”) 

transportation (see “roads” and 
“railroads” ) 

tree-cactus, 110 

Triunfo, 547 

trompudo (fish), 466 

Tula, 557, 571 

Tulancingo, 557 

tuna, 58, ror 

tuna cardona, ror 

tuna duraznilla, 1or 

tuna paste, 315 

turkey, wild, 472 

turnip, 109 

turpentine-oil mills, 319 

turquoise, 369 

Tuxcacueso, 560 

Tuxpan, 560, 572 

Tuxtepec, 565 

Tuxtla Gutierrez, 548 

tuzohe, 192 


Union, 569 
Ures, 569 
Uriangato, 555 
Uruapan, 561 
una de gato, 188 


Valle de Bravo, 560 

Valle de Santiago, 555 

vanilla, 163 

vegetables (see “Horticulture” ) 
vegetable oils (see “oils’”) 
Veracruz (city), 572 


630 


VERACRUZ, STATE OF 
General Survey, 48 
Inhabitants, 49 
Area, 49 
Geographical situation, 49 
Agriculture, 161 
Forests, 205 
Live-stock raising, 257 
Commerce, 296 
Manufacturing Industries, 339 
Mining Industries, 368 
Climate, 432 
Rainfall, 432 
Mountains, 432 
Rivers, 433 
Lakes, 433 
Lagoons, 433 
Archaeological ruins, 435 
Roads, 540 
Railways, 538 
Mail, 540 
Telegraph, 540 
Telephone, 540 
Ports, 455 
Islands, 456 
Flora, 490 
Fauna, 491 
Hunting, 491 
Fishing, 491 
Cities and Towns, 572 

vetch, 60 

Viesca, 551 

views (see “sights” ) 

Villa Alvarez, 552 

Villahermosa, 570 

Villaldama, 563 


Wages, 53 

wale, 461 

walnut, 98, 187, 191, 203 

waterfalls, 373, 380, 383, 387, 
390, 394, 396, 399, 401, 404, 
410, 412, 418, 421, 425, 430, 
431, 434 

watermelon, 61, 73, 75, 80, 98, 
118, 121 

wheat, 60, 72, 75, 82, 85, 89, 97, 
105, 113, 120, 133, 138 

weaving mills, 304, 308, 309, 
312 314, 322, 329, 340, 342 

white rum (see “aguardiente’) 


The Republic of Mexico 


willow, 174, 179, 182, 188, 208 
wine-making, 309, 315 

wireless stations, 496 

wolf, 466 

woods (see “timber” ) 
wormwood (see “palo gusano”’) 


Xochimilco, 553 


Yellow laurel (see “laurel’”) 
Yuatepec, 562 
YUCATAN, STATE OF 
General Survey, 49 
Inhabitants, 51 
Area, 51 
Geographical situation, 50 
Agriculture, 166 
Forests, 206 
Live-stock raising, 259 
Commerce, 298 
Manufacturing Industries, 340 
Mining Industries, 370 
Climate, 438 
Rainfall, 438 
Mountains, 438 
Rivers, 438 
Archaeological ruins, 438 
Roads, 542 
Railways, 541 
Mail, 542 
Telegraph, 542 
Telephone, 542 
Ports, 457 
Flora, 491 
Fauna, 492 
Hunting, 492 
Fishing, 492 
Cities and Towns, 574 
yucca, 113 
Yuhualica, 560 
Yuriria, 555 


Zacapoaxtla, 565 
Zacatecas (city), 575 
ZACATECAS, STATE OF 
General Survey, 51 
Inhabitants, 52 
Area, 52 
Geographical situation, 52 
Agriculture, 169 


The Republic of Mexico 


Forests, 207 
Live-stock raising, 260 
Commerce, 299 
Manufacturing Industries, 342 
Mining Industries, 371 
Climate, 439 
Rainfall, 440 
Mountains, 440 
Rivers, 441 
Lagoons, 441 
Archaeological ruins, 442 
Roads, 544 
Railways, 543 
Mail, 544 
Telegraph, 544 
Telephone, 544 
Flora, 492 
Fauna, 493 
. Hunting, 493 
Cities and Towns, 575 
Zacatelco, 572 
Zacatlan, 565 


037 


zacate, 459 

zacaton root, 338 
Zacoalco, 560 
Zacualpa, 548 
Zacualpan, 561 
Zala, 559 

Zamora, 561 
Zapopan, 560 
Zapotitlan, 560 
Zapotlanejo, 560 
Zapupe, 145, 309, 337 
zarapes (shawls) 
Zimapan, 557 
Zinapacuaro, 561 
ZINC, 361, 362, 365 
Zitacuaro, 561 

zone (cold), 373 
zone, hot or torrid, 373 
zone (temperate), 373 
Zongolica, 574 
zopilote, 194 
Zumpango, 560 














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